Our April Doctor’s Lounge Meetup was all about the Physician Health Program. We had the pleasure of welcoming Tom Rapanakis, Executive Director, and Felicia Phan, Physician Health and Wellness Liaison to the Lounge and learned so much! Did you know:
- Confidentiality at PHP is like at your own physician’s office. Nobody outside of PHP is even aware that you have contacted them for support. You don’t need to worry about disability or licensing concerns. You can even call anonymously without revealing your identity. If it gets to the point where a name is needed to provide a service, your PHP connection will let you know. Their physicians have the same duty to report responsibilities as we all do, but these are very rarely used without consent.
- Funding for PHP comes directly from the Ministry of Health, even though it is a department of Doctors of BC. PHP has no affiliation with the CPSBC – they receive no funding or governance support from them, and no information is shared outside of PHP unless there is explicit consent or as required by law.
- The most popular service is short-term counseling, but PHP also offers conversations with their Program Physicians, a Family Doctor connection service, occupational health services, and referrals to specialized coaches and therapists. Services are also available for your family members!
- The one service they wished more people knew about is their Return to Work service: They provide coaching, planning, and follow-up support for people who have been on leave for medical, parental, or personal reasons.
- Demand for PHP’s services has increased…a lot. Since 2019, there has been a 93% increase in requests, with parenting challenges, interpersonal relationship issues, and occupational burnout topping the list.
To learn more about PHP, visit their website. To access their services, call 1.800.663.6729.
Many thanks, Tom and Felicia, for sharing your important work with us! It’s wonderful to know that you are there to help.