Who Cares For The Caregivers?

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Substance abuse affects people in every field and it’s no secret that professionals in the healthcare industry also succumb to addiction. Often, the high pressure and long hours compel some health care providers to turn to prescription drugs to help them keep up with their obligations. They may believe they’re in control of their drug usage, but, over time, they become addicted and end up needing help to get clean.

There are actually special organizations, which focus on helping medical professionals with addiction problems. These treatment centers focus on providing compassionate care and advocacy, while also holding each patient accountable for his or her addiction. In some cases, there may be co-occurring conditions, such as mental illness or burnout, that also need to be addressed through treatment. It’s important for these facilities to be able to treat all of these variables to ensure the professional can return to work and provide a better quality of care to his or her own patients.

By visiting the NCPHP and NC Physicians Health Program Website, those in need of help can discover which services will benefit them the most. Since each individual is facing different challenges, treatment must be tailored to the individual’s circumstances. Each individual is evaluated upon an initial consultation, so a monitoring and treatment program can be customized for that patient. This provides the best chance for recovery.

Established in 1988, NCPHP has many years of experience in helping healthcare providers beat their addictions and other problems, enabling them to return to their careers. Once they leave treatment, each patient is in full recovery and has learned better coping skills, so they can provide uncompromised care to all of their own patients. Originating in a less formal physicians health committee under the regulation of the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), the organization soon grew to become the more formal institution that it is today. While the organization was once governed by the NCMS Foundation, it now operates independently. As a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation, NCPHP cares for over 3,600 physicians and provides education and advocacy resources to their families, colleagues, and the public. Additionally, NCPHP will advocate on behalf of their patients with employers, hospital and licensing boards, insurance panels, and partners.

Due to the sensitive nature of their services, NCPHP also assures its patients of the same dedication to confidentiality that any healthcare facility would provide. The identities of all individuals seeking treatment are kept secret, just as is the case with people seeking information, advocacy, or referrals. This pledge of confidentiality helps to ensure the people who need treatment will seek it, once they accept that their substance use has become an addiction.