Shawn Zimmerman

Florida Hospital Provides Nation's Only Health and Wellness Program of its Kind for Physicians

While most hospitals refer disruptive physicians to Professionals Resource Network (PRN), the Florida Department of Health-contracted program responsible for evaluating and treating physicians and other healthcare professionals who have substance abuse issues or other impairments that affect their performance and jeopardize patient safety, Florida Hospital has a different approach.

Nine years ago, Herdley O. Paolini, PhD, a licensed psychologist, was recruited to Florida Hospital, ranked the nation's largest admitting hospital by American Hospital Association, to design a program to meet physician health and wellness needs in a preventive manner before outside sources are needed. A similarly-tasked Employee Assistance Program had proven unsuccessful. Paolini's mission: to establish and nurture Physician Support Services (PSS).

"Physicians don't look for help," said Paolini. "For the most part, they don't recognize the need for it. So we set up the program in a different way and it's had tremendous success. This was set up during a more golden time for hospitals, and administrative leaders continue to support it during these financially difficult times. It fits with the mission of Florida Hospital: to extend the ministry of Jesus Christ. Since we're extending it to our patients, we should also extend it to our physicians."

Paolini developed the Florida Hospital PSS, the nation's only program that's attached to and supported by a hospital system.

"Surprisingly, about 99 percent of physicians come to us on their own, not because they think, 'I'm a jerk. I'm becoming disruptive,' but because another physician told them about the program," she said. "We don't focus on 'you're broken; let's get you fixed.' Instead, we focus on educating them about the art of medicine and what's left when you're done."

With 2,200 physicians on staff at the Orlando-based healthcare system, Paolini plans retreats and ancillary events while also counseling 30 physicians weekly and taking call. For example, she organized the seventh annual ski trip Dec. 17-22 to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 2010 that included 10 hours of continuing medical education (CME) credit via topics such as "How to Practice Medicine under Pressure." Paolini was able to negotiate rates of $545 per person at The Steamboat Grand for five nights lodging, a four-day lift pass, CME courses and a reception.

A physician leadership summit held when America was on the cusp of sweeping health reform was free of charge to physicians and their spouses—thanks to the generous gift of an anonymous sponsor—and covered topics such as "Remembering Our Power to Make a Difference," "Leadership as Antidote Against Victimization," "Gifted Hands: The Art of Daily Practice," and "Incorporating the Strategies of Physician Leaders into Your Practice." Unique events have included "Arts, Music & Chocolate," a Sunday afternoon at The Orlando Museum of Art in October that included a tour of the museum and a concert followed by a chocolate reception. PSS sponsored an international medical mission trip to Honduras in 2006.

Shawn Zimmerman, PhD, a licensed mental health counselor with extensive couples counseling experience, also counsels 30 physicians weekly. Sheila Granados, a bilingual administrative assistant for PSS who served as assistant vice-president of First Bank of Puerto Rico during the banking phase of her career, rounds out the small 3-person staff.

"We set up the program to offer six (counseling) sessions free and then physicians pay out of pocket roughly $125 per session," said Paolini. "That's low compared to other charges in this area for therapists."

If disruptive physicians become too much to handle in-house, Paolini refers them to the PRN, but it's a very rare occurrence.

"It's fascinating how well our program works," said Paolini, "and I think it's how we set it up, not as an EAP but as a place for physicians to go to get real healing before they become disruptive."

For more information, visit www.flphysiciansupportservices.org.

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