Program for Distressed Physicians

CME LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon the completion of the program, the participant should be able to:

  1. Define and describe the elements of the core competency areas of Professionalism, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Systems-based practice.
  2. Identify the consequences of disruptive behavior on the the clinical team and patient care more broadly.
  3. Identify personal risk factors for disruptive behavior in the workplace.
  4. Identify activities that will decrease personal risk factors for disruptive behavior.
  5. Demonstrate the use of assertive communication techniques when interacting with other professionals.

Upon the completion of your participation in this educational activity, you intend to incorporate the following objectives into your practice of medicine:

  1. Utilize core competency skills in the areas of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills in my practice
  2. Utilize core competency skills in the areas of Professionalism and Interpersonal and Communication Skills when interacting members of medical teams
  3. Employ appropriately assertive communication techniques in communicating with patients and members of the healthcare team.
  4. Discuss the importance of team functioning to the delivery of high quality medical care
  5. Identify personal risk factors for disruptive/disrespectful behavior to improve personal leadership and inter-professional functioning and patient care.
  6. Develop relapse prevention strategies to minimize the reoccurrence of personal stressors that are associated with disrespectful behavior.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The approach is to provide distressed physicians with a safe, confidential environment where they can learn with their peers about the origins and consequences of their actions and develop new skill sets. The educational modality is guided small group interaction with the opportunity for exchange, feedback, and practice. The group serves as a “learning lab” providing learners the opportunity to “try-out” their newly developing skills.

VISION

The vision originally developed by the Center for Professional Health faculty at Vanderbilt and adopted for this course is for healthcare providers with disruptive behavior to have an opportunity to learn new behavioral skills to enable them to function in an increasingly complex medical environment, document specific behavioral changes, and maintain their position and privileges in their practice or hospital staff.

If you have questions regarding the course or wish to get in contact and inquire about signing out click here.

REGISTRATION

Contact: Nathaniel Williams and mention: Distressed Physician Course

nathaniel@walesbehavioral.com

  • (785) 842-9772 phone
  • (785) 842-5231 fax

Course Requirements that must be completed prior to attendance:

  • A telephone interview with Dr. Williams is required prior to registering for the course. Please call 785-842-9772 and mention the Distressed Physician course to schedule an interview.

An assessment may be required to rule-out certain conditions such as active drug and alcohol addiction and physical or psychological problems that would make participation in the course inappropriate and unproductive. If you have completed a comprehensive assessment or are currently in therapy, those records will be requested in lieu of an assessment. *

TIME AND LOCATION

The Program for Distressed Physicians 2024 Dates*

March 15 – 17, 2024

May 3 – 5, 2024

July 12 – 14, 2024

August 23 – 25, 2024

October 11 – 13, 2024

December 6 – 8, 2024

If the dates do not meet your needs or timing please call to discuss possible customized CME Options.

*The application for CME credit has been filed with the American Academy of Family Physicians and determination of credit is pending.

COVID UPDATE

All classes held virtual live until it is safer to travel.

Activity Location:

Currently all virtual.

Course Cost $5,250.00

Refund Policy

The cost of this course is $5,250.00 and includes the initial three days, the three one-day follow-up sessions, and all course materials.

If you must cancel your registration, the WBA office will refund your registration fee, less $500.00, provided you notify us 30 days prior to the start of the course. No refunds will be made after that time. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis for justifiable emergencies. Registration may be transferred to another course date provided the request is made more than 30 days prior to the start of the course you are registered for. In the event of cancellation or rescheduling of this CME activity due to unforeseen circumstances, registration fees will be refunded in full.

FACULTY

Betsy White Williams, PhD, MPH

Dr. Betsy White Williams is the clinical director at the Professional Renewal Center, an assessment and treatment/remediation facility and the director of continuing education at Wales Behavioral Assessment, both located in Lawrence, KS. For the past twenty years, her research and clinical foci has been related to healthcare professionals across the educational continuum exploring issues related to professionalism lapses, clinical competency, substance use disorders, burnout, professional boundaries, disruptive behavior, and aging.

Dr. Williams is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine of the University of Kansas.  She is the current President of the Society of Academic Continuing Medical Education (SACME). Over the course of her involvement with SACME she has been active in the Program, Research/Scholarship and Strategic Affairs Committees.

Dr. Williams has published numerous articles and other scholarly works including book chapters entitled Assessing and Remediating the Struggling Physician and Identifying Principles of Effective Educational Research. She has lectured nationally and internationally on the topics of professionalism, wellbeing, and burnout.  In 2013, she received SACME’s Fox Award for Best Research Presentation for her presentation Self Efficacy and Structural Barriers as Mediators of Practice Change. In 2017, she received the Dave Davis Research in CME Award at SACME’s Annual Meeting.

Dr. Williams completed her undergraduate education at Wellesley College, her master’s degree in public health at Boston University, and her doctorate in clinical psychology at the University of Southern California. She completed her postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology at the University of California, San Diego.

Michael Williams, PhD

Michael V. Williams, PhD received his MA and PhD in developmental psychology from the University of Southern California. Mr. Williams has consulted for more than 20 years in the areas of marketing, market forecasting, market and firm strategic planning, organizational management and quality improvement. He was a principal at Booz Allen
Hamilton, Inc. as well as Planmetics, Inc before founding Wales Behavioral Assessment.

Mr. Williams was director of the largest non-hardware (project not focused on generation or transmission equipment) research project undertaken by the electric power industry. An engagement that redefined the approach the industry would take to energy efficiency. Mr. Williams demonstrated in this work that taking into account individuals’ choice style is critical to effective persuasion.  Mr. Williams was director of Florida Power and Light’s restructuring of its customer care and conservation program an effort that was recognized as the global standard for the implementation of quality science principles by the Union of Japanese Scientists receiving the International Deming Prize for Quality in 1989.

Mr. Williams has added healthcare systems as an industrial focus since 2004, providing consulting services on issues of workplace functioning and medical quality systems. Dr. Williams has lectured nationally and internationally and has published in the areas of the disruptive physician, quality systems, chemical dependency, and sexual misconduct. He was the recipient of the 2010 Ray L Casterline MD Award for Excellence in Writing from the Federation of State Medical Boards for his article Disruptive Physicians: A Conceptual Approach.  Mr. Williams latest research focus has been on the structure of cognitive decision making during high risk and high stress situations.