ACP issues statement on impaired physicians

Health care professionals – in particular doctors, pharmacists and nurses – are certainly not immune from the effects of various conditions that can result in impairment. The American College of Physicians defines Physician Impairment as “the inability to carry out patient care responsibilities safely and effectively,” a definition that is equally apposite for other professionals. On 4th June 2019 the ACP issued a statement entitled: Physician Impairment and Rehabilitation: Reintegration Into Medical Practice While Ensuring Patient Safety: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians. The statement enunciates five key positions held by the ACP on the subject and is a useful resource for anyone grappling with this issue in practice. Given that impairment of health care professionals has the capacity to impact directly upon medication safety, the ACP is a potentially useful resource, and can be viewed here