The Physician Health Program phone rings and a physician asks: “Can you tell me how to find an anger management program?”  Without hearing any other details, it’s likely that the caller is trying to cope with issues in the hospital and may even have been told by a Department Head or Chief of Staff that they are “disruptive” and they need to do something about it.

Physician Workplace Support Program

Creating workplaces that promote respectul and collaborative relationships can be challenging for physician leaders, administrators, physicians and hospital staff. 
The OMA’ s Physician Health Program, a service long trusted and respected by OMA members, has recently launched the Physician Workplace Support Program (PWSP). 
Bill 168 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act will be introduced into law on June 15th, 2010. This legislation creates a compelling reason for hospital leaders to ensure their workplaces are free from harassment and the fear of workplace violence.

PWSP Goals:
The PWSP is an integrated, comprehensive program aimed at providing physicians, physician leaders and their workplaces with the necessary tools for promoting professional conduct and healthy relationships resulting in the reduction of incidents of disruptive behaviour.

PWSP will:

• use a systems approach focused on supporting changes in both individual practitioner and the workplace
• consist of  3 areas of focus
• education - awareness, prevention & early intervention
• intervention - coaching and consulting for physician leaders and case response (management) for referred individuals.
• organizational consulting - systems approach to creating / enhancing respectful workplaces
• The PWSP will operate on a fee for service (cost recovery) basis.

Guiding Principles

PWSP will

• be a voluntary service for physicians.
• consider the work place context as well as family context as important contributors to the understanding and management of individual cases. 
• support hospitals and other health care institutions to develop their own internal infrastructure and expertise to deal with behavioural issues and concerns.
• offer services that are distinct and independent from PHP core offerings, yet will complement and incorporate current PHP services and approaches  when managing specific incidents.
• not serve to stifle or suppress good faith, respectful advocacy for patient care.

Case Response will be the first of the services to be offered beginning April 1 2010. This service will be delivered in a collaborative fashion with the PWSP, the referred physician and the hospital workplace  all agreeing to the services provided (deliverables)

Features of the Case Response Service

Case response for referred individuals
This service will be delivered in a partnership fashion with the PWSP, the referred physician and the hospital all agreeing to the services provided (deliverables)

• It will consist of 3 phases; each phase will be contracted for separately.
• Assessment (3 months)
• Rehabilitation  (24 months)
• Long term follow up (36 months)

Other initiatives for 2011

1. A coaching/consulting service for Physician Leaders, who will be provided with an opportunity to subscribe to a coaching service.  This service will provide advice for managing behavioural issues. 
2. Forming the PWSP Program Advisory Panel
3. Educational workshops to increase awareness of the impact of disruptive behavior and knowledge of prevention and early intervention strategies.

 

 

 

 

 

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