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DR. ROLAND GRAY FEB 10, 1947-OCTMEMORIAINSIDE: 6, 2018 L PHYSICIAN’SPHYSICIAN’S HEALTHHEALTH TO Fall 2018 A Publication of the Physician’s Health Program of the Tennessee Medical Foundation MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT TMF BOARD OF DIRECTORS A SEASON FOR RECOVERY Thomas W. Malone, DPh President BY THOMAS MALONE, DPH Timothy Davis, MD TMF President Vice President Before I begin my replaced with brown and then no foliage at all. Martin Akin regular President’s In between the green and brown are several Secretary-Treasurer message, I want to weeks of beautiful yellows, oranges and reds. announce some sad In my own recovery, fall has always J.D. Rosdeutscher, MD news: we received represented the beginning of a new life. I Chair, Physician’s Health word during our began my recovery on August 26, 1993, and Quality Improvement Committee fall board retreat it was almost like being reborn. I had been Patricia Lee, CPMSM, MHSA on Saturday, October 6, that former TMF lost for many years, spiritually, mentally, and Medical Director Dr. Roland Gray had died physically. In the throes of my alcohol and Peter Gardner, MD after a brief illness. So this is not only a season drug addiction I saw no way out and life had Jere Hammond, MD for recovery, but a season for grieving for all become a daily marathon. I had become the those who knew and loved him. person I never intended to be. I was not a Thomas C. Lewis, MD Dr. Gray was a mentor to me. He was husband to my wife or a father to my children, Michael Miller, DO selfless and compassionate in his dealings with and was also struggling professionally. TMF participants, staff, and leaders. He saved a Because of a group of caring professionals Bill Scott Portis, MD lot of lives. I will always be grateful to him; his and a loving God, I was restored to the person Clay Runnels, MD family is in my thoughts and prayers. We are God had always intended for me to be. paying tribute to Dr. Gray with a special insert The Tennessee Medical Foundation knows Mary Yarbrough, MD, MPH in this edition of Physician’s Health. no seasons. It is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day- Kimberly Rosdeutscher, MD It is fall now, and while it may not feel like a-week, 12-month-a-year organization whose it as you read this column, rest assured it is on main purpose is to help physicians. The TMF Past President its way. Fall in Tennessee varies from one region not only helps physicians who suffer from to another and the beautiful green is soon alcohol and drug dependency, it also helps (Continued on page 2) TMF STAFF Michael Baron, MD, MPH THANK YOU, JULIE! Medical Director Michael L. Todd BY MICHAEL L. TODD Administrator Administrator Jeanne S. Breard, RN As I thought about one word to describe fears of so many Field Coordinator Julie Eberle, who is retiring this month after potential new Alicia Almade 14 years with the TMF, I kept coming back to participants. I Administrative Assistant “unique.” Webster defines it as “being without always knew a like or equal.” I can safely say she is unlike that in a short Jennifer Rainwater anyone I have worked with in my entire career period of time Executive Administrative Assistant (don’t worry, Julie, I mean that in only a good Julie would Dot Walker way). develop a Administrative Assistant From my initial interview with her in new “friend” 2004 to the present, Julie has been a bright and without Brenda Williams-Denbo light that has provided love, support, comfort, realizing it, Development Coordinator laughter, friendship, and most of all, delicious make the Italian food to all who have been associated TMF a lot less Julie Eberle and her fiancé with the TMF. Her enthusiasm for life and scary and Joe Bartone. what it offers is infectious! intimidating Julie has never met a stranger. Her smile for newcomers. Her ability to welcome both and easygoing personality calmed the initial acquaintances and strangers, to develop (Continued on page 4) The mission of the Physician’s Health Program (PHP) is to protect patients through identification, intervention, rehabilitation, and the provision of advocacy and support for physicians impaired by addictive disease, mental or emotional illness. MEDICAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE MOBILE MEETING VERIFICATION: A NECESSARY, CONVENIENT WAY TO DOCUMENT COMPLIANCE BY MICHAEL BARON, MD, MPH Medical Director The recent change to electronic verification for meeting at- the TMF are doing what we have all agreed to do. As part of tendance has caused a stir among some of our participants. that process, verification of attendance at 12-step and Caduceus This was partly expected; we all like our privacy and don’t like meetings is now needed. Taking someone’s word does not work change. As a result, I’m taking this opportunity to help explain in this environment. If I get audited for CME hours, the BME does the reasoning behind going this route. Changes like this are not not take my word for it, it wants verification. The same is true for done in a vacuum; they are done for good reasons and with these attendance requirements. the knowledge and majority votes of the TMF Board and the Since your phone already knows Physician’s Health Quality Improvement Committee (PHQIC). where you are, it seemed like a logical The “Big Brother is watching” situation has already oc- step to use this device and the Affinity curred to anyone carrying a smart phone. Ten years ago, if I had SPECTRUM Mobile App to verify meeting said we would all carry an electronic device that pinpoints our attendance. Until now, the alternative has every move, listens to our conversations, tracks our spending, been to get attendance roster signatures and traces our travel habits, your response would be, “No way” for every attended meeting across the or “Go back to treatment.” As we all know now, that is exactly state, which has proven to be quite what our smart phones and electronic personal assistants do cumbersome and demeaning. today. I don’t participate in social media as I value my privacy Most of us reading this were given and don’t want corporations to know my spending, traveling, or a second chance to do what we were viewing habits. However, because I carry a smart phone, they trained and perhaps what we love to probably do. do. Utilizing electronic verification for The TMF Physician’s Health Program (TMF-PHP) advocates meeting attendance is necessary to keep for our participants so they can return to work as physicians and doing what we do. Again, essentially, we other healthcare providers, which as we all know is a privilege, are already doing this by carrying a smart phone. Now we just not a right. In many other states, once that privilege is violated, need to record our location while at a meeting on the SPECTRUM even by illness, it is a difficult and tumultuous return – if a return mobile app. is even possible. We are fortunate to have a close, trusting rela- We realize this change can feel intrusive and “Big Brotherish.” tionship with the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (BME), However, this is a tool the TMF-PHP will use to document Board of Osteopathic Examiners, and the Department of Health. compliance with our monitoring agreements. Ensuring that our When the TMF advocates for you to your licensing board, to participants are compliant with their monitoring agreements is a hospital for privileges, or to an insurance provider panel, it the best way to continue this process. It is the only way for TMF means something. It means you are fit for duty and fulfilling cer- advocacy to continue to have the significance that it does. Thank tain obligations that will help keep you healthy and fit for duty. you for bearing with us as we move forward in this endeavor. The BME is required to do yearly audits for our participants who are “Board Ordered,” to ensure that the participant and Share your thoughts with Dr. Baron at [email protected]. MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT (Continued from page 1) the physician who suffers from burnout and mental health to address all of these problems. I have seen the lives and careers of problems. Each year in the United States over 400 physicians many physicians restored because of the TMF and the gift of recovery. die by their own hands. I personally know of many physicians Beginning this fall I would like to issue a challenge to a number of who have died from this disease. The TMF is concerned about groups who have benefited from the TMF: all of the physicians in the this population of physicians and is working hard to address state, the past participants, the present participants, the hospitals this group. The TMF Physician’s Program has been the go-to that employ these physicians, and anyone else who has benefited resource for the last 40 years for the physicians of Tennessee from this great organization. The challenge is to GIVE. The TMF who suffer from these problems. needs your money and support to continue its work. The Physician I have been blessed to be a part of the TMF for many years. Health program saves lives and saves careers. Please give! I have seen it grow from an organization that worked out of Dr. David Dodd’s home to an organization that moved into a new facility last year. We’ve had strong medical directors, including the late Dr.

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