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Ask the expert: Should the medical staff report a physician with an addiction or impairment to the National Practitioner Data Bank?

Medical Staff Leader Connection, December 30, 2010

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The credentials committee and the medical executive committee (MEC) may wish to grant a medical leave of absence to a physician whose impairment puts patients at risk. A medical leave of absence is a leave granted for health concerns, usually 45 days or longer, that is not reportable to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). By granting a leave of absence, the credentials committee and MEC protect patients without terminating the physician from the medical staff.

When the physician returns to practice, as long as he or she is compliant and in recovery and is performing as expected, he or she should not be reported to the NPDB or the state licensing board. If, however, he or she fails to comply, the medical staff is obligated to report if it must recommend corrective action to the governing board for more than 30 days.

Always seek advice of legal counsel when there is a question of an action that may result in a change of status for the physician while he or she is on any form of leave of absence. Any time a physician’s privileges are at risk, it is a good idea to seek legal counsel, not only during the deliberations, but also when preparing the documents that describe the conditions that he or she will be required to meet to maintain or resume privileges.

This week’s question and answer are from A Practical Guide to Managing Disruptive and Impaired Physicians, Second Edition, by R. Dean White, DDS, MS, and Jonathan H. Burroughs, MD, MBA, FACPE, CMSL.
 

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