Drug Rehab for Doctors

See the document on a single page

Because a doctor's ability to perform effectively is based upon the trust and confidence of patients under his or her care, the disclosure of alcohol or drug dependence can have severe and lasting repercussions on the livelihood and reputation of any doctor with a chemical dependency.

Sadly, doctors remain near the top of the list of at risk professions for substance abuse, and the combination of long hours and professional stress, when coupled with easy access to intoxicating pharmaceuticals or the pleasures and release of alcohol, becomes too tough for many to resist.

Of course, practicing medicine while intoxicated or even while suffering the effects of the previous night's intoxication, is unacceptable, and as such doctors need access to completely confidential doctor's rehab facilities.

While some would argue that doctors who use and abuse drugs endanger public health, and do not deserve confidentiality or compassion, the fact is that doctor's are human, and to best encourage them to accept needed treatment, the price of this recovery cannot be set too high. Asking anyone to sacrifice a lifetime of work, and many years of education to get help is asking too much, and human nature ensures that without confidential access to rehab, too many doctors will continue to practice with debilitating, and possibly dangerous addictions.