Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation
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(502) 425-7761
Policies
Policy on Self-Treatment
In order to abide by state regulations and meet professional obligations to practice medicine safely and effectively, physicians must only provide treatment for themselves and family members in limited circumstances, as set forth below. These are circumstances where the risks associated with treatment in this context are either minimal or are outweighed by the benefits of providing treatment.
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Physicians should NOT provide treatment for themselves or family members except:
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For a minor condition or in an emergency, and
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When another qualified health-care professional is not readily available
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Physicians must not provide recurring episodic treatment for the same disease or condition, or provide ongoing management of a disease or condition, even where the disease or condition is minor. Another physician should be responsible for ongoing management.
Treatment - anything that is done for a therapeutic, preventative, palliative, diagnostic, cosmetic or other health-related purpose. This includes: the performance of any controlled act, ordering and performing tests (including blood tests and diagnostic imaging), and providing a course of treatment, plan of treatment or community of treatment.
Minor Condition - a non-urgent, non-serious condition that requires only short-term, episodic, routine care and is not likely to be an indication of, or lead to, a more serious, complex or chronic condition, or a condition which requires ongoing clinical care or monitoring. Some examples of minor conditions may include, but are not limited to: otitis external, acute conjunctivitis, uncomplicated cystitis, mild impetigo and contact dermatitis. Complex and chronic conditions are not considered minor conditions, even where their management may be episodic in nature.
Adopted by KPHF Board of Directors, February 18, 2014
Policy on Prescription Controlled Drug(s)
The mission of the Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation (KPHF) is providing medically licensed professionals who are impacted by substance use disorder and mental illness related issues with the best possible probabilities of returning to a safe and successful professional practice.
The KPHF will not advocate for the return to clinical practice of professionals who have a substance use disorder who are on controlled substances. At such time as they are no longer managed with controlled substances, the KPHF will re-evaluate their advocacy.
The KPHF will not routinely advocate for the return to clinical practice of professionals who have other mental health disorders or medical disorders who are being managed on controlled substances. After careful review of their diagnosis and determination with the aid of their treating physician, the KPHF will re-evaluate their advocacy. In such cases random drug testing and KASPER surveillance will be a part of the KPHF requirements for advocacy.
Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Policy Regarding the Required Reporting of Impaired Physicians by Other Physicians and Hospitals
If a licensed physician or hospital staff suspects that a physician is impaired - due to chronic alcoholism, chemical dependency or physical/mental disability(ies) - such fact must be reported directly to the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure within ten (10) days of obtaining direct knowledge of the impairment. The report to the Board must be made in writing and contain the following information: the name of the physician suspected of being impaired, a detailed account of the facts giving rise to that suspicion, a list of other persons having information regarding the suspected impairment, and the name of the reporting physician/hospital staff.
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When the Board receives such a report, it will immediately review it to determine the nature and extent of the suspected violations. The medical professional will most often then be referred to the KPHF for assessment and treatment.