WELLNESS The Oregon Initiative The Coalition for Professional Enhancement THROUGH ENGAGED EFFORTS AMONG three medical societies—the Oregon Medical Association (OMA), Lane County Medical Society (LCMS), and the Medical Society of Metropolitan Portland (MSMP)—and in partnership with OHSU, the Oregon Psychiatric Association, Kaiser, the Oregon Medical Board (OMB) and the Foundation for Medical Excellence, Oregon care leaders have established a Coalition for Health Care Professionals’ Health to bring services, both prevention and intervention, to the state’s broad network of physicians and other providers. Oregon has been at the forefront of the efforts to enhance physicians’ wellness for many years. A program for physicians seeking help with substance abuse and chemical dependency (and later, mental health issues) was established through the OMB in the 1980s, and through the Kaiser system ten years later. The OMA has for many years offered services to facilitate physicians’ struggles: medical malpractice insurance, finances, office management and other concerns. In 2003, a wellness program for residents and faculty was introduced at OHSU. It broadened its focus to a wide spectrum of issues that physicians encounter as they work through the stresses of their professional lives, from minor to career-threatening problems. Three years ago, LCMS implemented a similar program, and two years later MSMP established one as well. The coalition will provide a centralized hub for collaboration, innovation, coordination and support, and is currently in the planning stage of distributing this range of services statewide. Through the coalition, established community programs, which provide services utilizing their regional resources, are more easily able to share experiences, successes, challenges, expertise and visions with other partners in health care professional wellness. The coalition is developing common standards for the programs, including protocols for care (i.e., confidentiality of services, range of services, immediate access, providers’ credentials and referral sources). The coalition is also addressing how to provide sustainable statewide fiscal resources through fees, philanthropy, established coffers, and/or grants. It is important to note that no fees are charged to physicians who participate in the current programs. All health care systems and medical societies in the state are welcome to join the coalition to share their resources and distribution of services. Telemedicine and other outreach methods will be used to ensure access in rural Oregon. The coalition’s goals are to ensure continued wellness and to improve challenged wellness of health care professionals, capitalizing on the experiences and vision of our collective wisdom and expertise. The health care world has become more complex, with more continued demand, more fragile patients, and more interdependent and fragmented care; all of which have made physicians more vulnerable. The importance of recognizing and understanding personal risk, and of implementing skills to improve resilience through activities such as meditation, yoga, self-care and counseling, can be of major help in maintaining the sense of wonder of and spirit in the profession, for all of us. Donald E. Girard, MD The coalition’s goals are to ensure continued wellness and to improve challenged wellness of health care professionals, capitalizing on the experiences and vision of our collective wisdom and expertise. 24 Medicine in Oregon www.theOMA.org
OMA Medicine in OR Spring 2016
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