In a recent Medscape piece entitled “How Impaired Physicians Can Be Helped” the author propounds the values of the PHP program, even providing a 29 page listing of all of the state PHPs and their services offered and populations served (a worrisomely broad swath of professionals). I felt compelled to reply.

I believe it is crucially important for Medscape and Mr./Dr. Chesanow to know that the national PHP list (which appears when one goes to print the article) erroneously indicates that PHPs evaluate and treat a wide variety of conditions that they are in fact neither authorized nor trained to conduct.

There are several issues here which require MEdscape’s closer examination:

1. A number of PHPs are chartered as non-profit 501c3 public charities. In checking with legal counsel, I was informed that such organizations by definition cannot perform professional evaluation and treatment services while operating as a “public charity.”