From WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com …
— Wisconsin would establish a new program to support health professionals struggling with addiction, mental health issues and other conditions under legislation being circulated for co-sponsorship.
The bill from Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, and Rep. Robert Brooks, R-Saukville, aims to provide a voluntary, confidential way for clinicians to “stabilize their health” and keep their careers amid a worsening health care labor shortage.
That’s according to a co-sponsorship memo they sent yesterday to other lawmakers, which says the program aims to prevent “unnecessary” license loss.
“With persistent provider shortages affecting every corner of our state — especially rural communities — Wisconsin cannot afford to fall behind,” bill authors wrote. “Healthcare workforce shortages continue to intensify, and we are losing too many skilled professionals to burnout, untreated health conditions, and the stigma associated with seeking help.”
Under the bill, the state Department of Safety and Professional Services would contract with an organization to create and operate a health professional assistance program. It’s meant to help those dealing with health conditions that could affect their ability to “practice with reasonable skill or safety,” according to an overview from the Legislative Reference Bureau.
The “non-punitive” program would include processes for determining eligibility, coordinating care and related monitoring, protecting confidentiality, and intervening in certain situations when further treatment is needed or program terms are violated. It would be funded by a $70 fee on health care providers whose credentials are served by the program.
Along with a provision allowing credentialing boards to participate in the program, the legislation also specifies that health care providers and these boards can report people to the program if they’re suspected of having a condition that could hinder their work.
Those reports would have to be assessed by those running the program to determine if the reported provider should be evaluated for potential treatment or other actions. Providers deemed eligible for the program would be given the option to voluntarily participate.
While doctors are currently required to report patterns of unprofessional conduct or medical incompetence among their colleagues to the Medical Examining Board, the bill would allow them to fulfill that legal obligation by reporting to the program instead, LRB notes. That’s only if the board is participating in the program with respect to physician credentials.
Other provisions would provide immunity from civil liability for the program and participants in certain cases, according to LRB.
Authors note Wisconsin is one of just “a handful” of states without an official Health Professional Assistance Program, or HPAP. They say such programs play an important role in workforce retention and patient safety, identifying problems earlier and helping clinicians safely return to work.
The co-sponsorship deadline is Friday.
See the bill text.
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