When Physicians Become Patients: Providing Care for General Medical, Mental Health, and Substance Use Disorders
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM Eastern Time
Pricing: Free for FSPHP Members; $50 for Non-Members
Description
When a physician becomes a patient, the physician-patient and the treating clinician often discover a complicated care dynamic. The physician-patient brings extensive medical knowledge, professional identity, and unique vulnerabilities that shape the care experience. The treating physician encounters an uncommon clinical dynamic in which the ethical, emotional, and interpersonal dimensions differ significantly from their typical patient relationship.
This educational program equips physicians and other health care professionals to navigate these distinct dynamics with confidence and sensitivity. Attendees will acquire strategies that build trust, honor confidentiality, and engage the physician-patient in care that meets clinical needs and professional realities.
Why You Should Attend
This program is relevant to all physicians and to other healthcare professionals who give or receive care from physicians. Healthcare professionals who have a special interest in caring for physician patients should attend, including those affiliated with Physician and Health Care Professional Programs, such as workplace monitors or liaisons, therapists, and psychiatrists of physicians and primary care physicians who treat physician patients.
Objectives
- Identify the unique factors that arise with physician-as-patient, including challenges related to self-diagnosis and treatment: boundaries, biases, and power differentials, over-identification, and treatment-interfering personality characteristics.
- Examine strategies for managing the factors that impact the physician-patient relationship.
- Summarize the unique challenges and risks associated with mental health, suicide, and substance use in safety-sensitive occupations and demonstrate understanding by identifying at least three strategies to address these challenges.
- Describe the principles of "fitness for duty" evaluations and explain how these principles contribute to safer workplace practices and successful recovery outcomes.
- Develop a step-by-step approach for collaborating with PHPs, referral to a PHP as your hospital systems policy for addressing mental health and substance use disorders separate from discipline, and serving as a PHP work liaison, or therapist to support those referred and to effectively address concerns related to mental health, substance use, and other potentially impairing health conditions, as evidenced by drafting a workflow or checklist during a workshop session.
- Prepare learners to deliver key course content within their healthcare communities to improve the care and support of this unique patient population.
This webinar was developed with the generous support of a grant provided by The Physicians Foundation.
FEATURED PRESENTERS:
 Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM Medical Director Emeritus Georgia Professional Health Program, Inc. |  Michael J. Baron, MD, MPH, DFASAM, FAPA Immediate Past President, FSPHP Medical Director, Tennessee Medical Foundation Physician's Health Program |
Alexis Polles, MD, FASAM Medical Director Emerita Professionals Resource Network | Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, FASAM Chief Medical Officer, FSPHP Executive Medical Director, Washington Physicians Health Program |
Lisa Merlo, PhD, MPE Co-Chair of the FSPHP Research Committee Professor of Psychiatry, University of Florida Director of Research, Professionals Resource Network, Inc. |
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by CineMed and the Federation of State Physician Health Programs. CineMed is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
CineMed designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurses
This activity provides 2 contact hours for nurses.
Pharmacists
This activity has been accredited for 0.2 CEU (2 credit hours) of continuing education credit.
Note: Due to CPE Monitor reporting requirements, all pharmacists’ credits must be tracked and submitted into the Cine-Med Credit Tracking page within 30 days of the conference.
Psychologists
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibly for the content of the programs.
This activity is approved for 2 CE Credits.
Social Workers
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, CineMed is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CineMed maintains responsibility for this course.
Social workers completing this course receive 2 intermediate continuing education credits.
Dentists and Oral Health Professionals
CineMed is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider (January 1 - December 31, 2026). ADA CERP is a service of the American Dental Association to assist dental professionals in identifying quality providers of continuing dental education. ADA CERP does not approve or endorse individual courses or instructors, nor does it imply acceptance of credit hours by boards of dentistry.
CineMed designates this activity for 2 continuing education credits.
Other Healthcare Professionals
All other healthcare professionals will receive a Certificate of Participation. For information on the applicability and acceptance of Certificates of Participation for activities designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, consult your professional licensing board.
Certificates: CME/CE credits can be claimed online at the completion of the meeting. A web address will be provided. Participants will be able to download or print a certificate once the form has been submitted.
Support
This activity is provided independent of industry support.
Course Details
For Distributors
Distributors may purchase multiple copies of packages to distribute to learners, and follow their progress. Bulk discounts are below.
| Quantity | Price per voucher |
|---|---|
| 1+ | $0.00 |
| Assessment Test |
| New assessment | ||
| New assessment |