Statements
Mission
To protect patients through identification, intervention, rehabilitation, and the provision of advocacy/support for physicians and other health professionals impaired by addictive disease, mental or emotional illness. In response to requests from hospitals, physician groups and family members, the TMF has reshaped the program to assist health professionals, their families, and healthcare entities and organizations with a wider range of problems. They include stress, burnout, work conflict, and behavioral health problems. The TMF also provides education statewide on impairment and wellness issues; it also assists medical schools in Tennessee with programs targeted at medical students and residents. These programs are primarily educational, but they also aid medical school faculty in identifying students and residents afflicted with the disease of chemical dependency.
Background
The Tennessee Medical Foundation was formed by the Tennessee Medical Association in 1954 as its charitable entity and charged it with assisting the TMA to raise funds for the construction of a new headquarters. During the 1960s, the TMF funded and supported rural health clinics in the bituminous coal areas of eastern Tennessee and Kentucky. Later, in the 1970s and 1980s the Foundation lay dormant, but maintained its 501(c)(3) status with regular annual board meetings and corporate filings. The TMF was revived in 1992 from its dormant status by the TMA House of Delegates and has since served to administer the Physician's Health Program, which was initially founded as the Impaired Physicians Committee by the TMA in 1978. The TMF and its Physician's Health Program has a mission to protect patients through identification, intervention, rehabilitation, and provision of advocacy/support for physicians and other health professionals impaired by addictive disease, and/or mental or emotional illness.
Impact
Strategic Goals: 1. Identify healthcare professionals (physicians, osteopathic physicians, chiropractors, veterinarians, optometrists, podiatrists, and radiology technicians) in need of services for addiction, mental and/or emotional illness. 2. Verify need for services and provide consultation and referrals. 3. Provide monitoring, support and/or advocacy and aftercare services (generally for a five-year period).
Needs
The TMF requires support from health professionals and the healthcare community to fulfill its mission. As a 501(c)3, the Foundation relies on grants and charitable donations; in return it provides a tax receipt letter in accordance with IRS regulations.
Board Chair Statement
The Tennessee Medical Foundation Board, staff, and volunteers believe all Tennesseans are entitled to the best care possible, delivered by healthy physicians and other health professionals. Using a non-punitive approach to impairment through the early identification, referral for assessment and/or treatment and rehabilitation, and the provision of aftercare services (generally for a five-year period), the likelihood of medical malpractice claims and expensive, lengthy investigations and disciplinary proceedings are reduced, while patient safety and care are improved and patient well-being and satisfaction with care are enhanced.
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Mental Health & Crisis Intervention - Mental Health & Crisis Intervention NEC |
| Secondary Category: | Mental Health & Crisis Intervention - Addictive Disorders NEC |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
We assist all Tennessee physicians, both MDs and DOs, as well as medical students, interns and residents, physician assistants, podiatrists, optometrists, veterinarians, chiropractors, and x-ray technicians.
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