FEATURE This piece was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Physician Family Magazine.
Confidentiality, Compassion and Competent Care HIGHLIGHTING PHYSICIAN HEALTH PROGRAMS By Angelic Rodgers, PhD
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n April of 2020, Pennsylvania physician and chair of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Foundation Dr. Virginia Hall put out a call for greater support of Physician Health Programs (PHPs) in an essay on KevinMD.org:1 “Some physicians have opined their belief that physician health plans (PHP) are contributing to the increasing physician suicidality. These beliefs have been used to attack PHPs and unfortunately, steer those in need to other resources or even have those in need not getting help.” That fear of stigma is mentioned in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Physician Family Magazine by Julie Petrera, who
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points out that: “Currently, only 14-15% of the physicians admitting to stress and burnout seek treatment, despite 81% of them knowing how or where to get help. When asked why they don’t seek assistance, physicians reference stigma and potential career risk as reasons for not seeking support.2” Physician Family Magazine always strives to support the family members of physicians, but at the same time, we constantly ask ourselves the question posed by Erika Beck in the Winter 2021 issue of Physician Family Magazine: Who will heal the healers?3 In addition to resources like the Physician Support Line4 and the Surgeon Masters Physician Peer Support Line,5 we wanted to highlight some exemplary PHPs, as
