North Dakota Professional Help Program

 

At this past Tuesday's meeting, Rotarians were pleased to host as their guest Dr. Barrie March, who spoke about his work with the North Dakota Professional Help Program [NDPHP].

 

The NDPHP began taking clients in March 2015, and is a non-profit corporation governed by a 9 member Board of Directors.  It is independent from the Board of Medicine, although the BOM provided the impetus for the NDPHP to get started.  Guidelines, policies, & support for the NDPHP comes from the Federation of State PHPs.

 

The purpose of the NDPHP is to provide support to healthcare professionals who may be affected by substance use or mental health disorders that are impacting their health and well-being. It is a confidential resource and assists with the identification, intervention, referral, monitoring, and recovery of its clients.  Its aim is to treat its clients and return them to practice, whilst protecting the public.

 

Clients are anyone licensed by the ND Board of Medicine, so physicians, physician assistants, medical residents, and although they are not yet licensed, medical students.  Potential clients may approach the NDPHP themselves to seek treatment, or may be referred through a confidential process.  

 

There is a high risk of burnout in the medical profession-- about a rate of 50%-- as well as a high suicide rate & an addiction rate of 10-15%.  The NDPHP serves as an important resource and support structure for those in the medical profession!

 

For more information about the NDPHP, you can visit http://www.ndphp.org/