Physician Self-Referrals are an Unintended Consequence of The New JCAHO “Disruptive Physician” Standards

A significant number of “at risk disruptive physicians” are seeking assistance voluntarily for problems in managing stress, anger, aggressive or passive aggressive communication or lack of empathy. This is a surprising and important, yet unanticipated, consequence of the new JCAHO “disruptive physician” policy.

A recurring theme of self-referred physicians to Executive Coaching/Anger Management Programs is the claim that most of them would have welcomed the chance to attend a physician coaching intervention program if given the information and opportunity. These doctors maintain that they lacked information relative to resources available to them for enhancing skills in managing stress, burnout, anger or aggressive behavior.

It is common knowledge that volunteer clients are generally more motivated to change than those who are mandated. Therefore, it is extremely important that proactive efforts are considered for physicians who are at risk for “disruptive behavior”.

The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organization (JCAHO), along with the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, University of California School of Medicine at San Diego, and Anderson & Anderson in Los Angeles should all reach out to prospective physician clients. Ideally, a Directory of Providers of intervention programs for “disruptive physicians” should be established and widely marketed to Health Care Organizations nationwide.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org