Regulatory Management of Chemically Dependent Health Care Practitioners

Occupational and professional regulatory boards exercise the police powers of the state to protect the public health, safety and welfare by restricting practice by individuals who violate their practice acts. It is more and more common for these licensing boards to offer chemically dependent practitioners treatment for their addiction as an alternative to discipline. The rationale for these programs is that they provide a path to recovery for affected licensees, thereby retaining them in the workforce, and that, with proper monitoring, they can help avert harm to the public while a licensee receives help. This is a sound rationale, based on worthy objectives. Yet it is essential to recognize that chemically dependent licensees can present a danger to the public. As worthwhile as these programs might be, they must be developed and carried out in ways that ensure they are accountable to the public and inspire public confidence and support. This is especially important given that patients typically do not know if a health care professional is enrolled in one of these programs, and given some recent highly critical external audits of some of these programs.

CAC has been monitoring alternative to discipline programs for more than a decade, and offers consulting services to boards that seek a fresh, independent, consumer-focused review of their programs. At this webinar, members of the CAC audit teamdescribed the criteria they use to evaluate the design and operation of programs for chemically dependent health care practitioners. Included among the presenters were licensing board officials who manage such programs.

Presenters:
Kay McMullan
and a representative of CAC.

Kay McMullan has been employed at the North Carolina Board of Nursing for over twenty years. Prior to that, she held various nursing positions.

Kay was the assigned staff member as the North Carolina Board of Nursing explored the implementation of an Alternative to Discipline Chemical Dependency Program in the early 1990's. In that role, she implemented the Program and has continued to be closely involved in its operation. She is currently Associate Executive Director of Programs.

Audio recordings and PowerPoint presentations are available for $45.00 for CAC members and $65.00 for non-members. Please contact us for more information. If you're not sure if your organization is a CAC member, please click here.