Chemical Dependency and the Physician, Essay Example

In this scenario, it is necessary to address the physician’s intoxicated state as best as possible, given the increased level of risk to patients. The competence of the physician is questionable in this example and requires significant consideration to prevent patient-related risks and challenges. First and foremost, the physician should not be permitted to practice in his current state, given the potential damage that could occur while under his watch. Therefore, the legal concerns and other issues must be addressed in a timely manner and must demonstrate a high level of support and understanding to protect patients against further risk or harm. This example introduces a number of important complications that must be addressed because they have legal implications for the physician and for his role in the emergency room. The legal issues must be addressed because they impact the emergency department and the actions that are taken with the patients who are treated.

Analysis

A physician who is intoxicated on the job represents a serious level of risk and liability for the organization and its patients. It is necessary to evaluate the different conditions under which a physician could be liable for his behavior, given the risks that he faces in this manner. When a physician does not recognize his or her own substance abuse, it is likely that these conditions will have a negative impact on outcomes and will demonstrate the importance of identifying the nature of the abuse and the conditions under which the abuse is observed by others (Cicala, 2003). The risks associated with this behavior present a set of important challenges for the physician and for any patients with whom he comes into contact; therefore, these issues must be actively addressed before any patients are placed at unnecessary risk or harm due to the substance abuse state (Cicala, 2003).

When a physician is intoxicated, it not only impacts their performance in the workplace but also the legal implications of their behavior (Berge et.al, 2009). Most importantly, the organization with which the physician is employed must be able to manage this behavior through disciplinary action as necessary in order to prevent legal action (Berge et.al, 2009). This process is important because it has a significant impact on the organization and its patient population, as they place a high level of trust in the medical professionals who work at a healthcare facility (Berge et.al, 2009). Therefore, when an issue occurs, it is more important than ever to address these concerns and to recognize the needs of patients as they require competent and appropriate care at all times (Berge et.al, 2009). Under these conditions, physicians must demonstrate a high level of competency and the ability to be effective in providing care and treatment to patients as needed (Berge et.al, 2009).

Conclusion

A physician who appears to be intoxicated should not be permitted to practice medicine under these conditions under any circumstances. This is a dire and detrimental situation which requires further evaluation and support from the healthcare community in order to prevent the physician from inflicting harm onto a patient at any time. This process is important because it supports the evaluation of specific legal conditions or circumstances that could forever harm the physician’s career, particularly if the issues are not caught in time and do not reflect the best interests of the patients who require care and treatment. There are considerable efforts required to ensure that the physician does not pose any risk to himself or to others, and this is best accomplished by using a framework that will demonstrate a high level of protection for the patient population who would be treated by the physician if he was permitted to practice in his current state.

References

Berge, K.H., Seppala, M.D., & Schipper, A.M. (2009). Chemical dependency and the physician.  Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 84(7), 625-631.

Cicala, R.S. (2003). Substance abuse among physicians: what you need to know. Hospital Physician, retrieved from http://seminmedpract.com/pdf/hp_jul03_know.pdf