Tennessee Medical Foundation
Programs
Budget
$11,600.00
Description
Increasing mental health referrals to the Tennessee Medical Foundation Physician's Health Program led the Foundation to develop a new mental health resource for use by licensed health professionals across Tennessee. The Tennessee Professional Screening Questionnaire, or TN-PSQ, is an online self-screening tool that was launched statewide on February 3, 2020. Strictly a NON-crisis service, the TN-PSQ offers an anonymous, confidential online mental health screening that will result in referrals to appropriate mental health resources and optional interaction with a program counselor. It utilizes the Interactive Screening Program (ISP), an online screening platform created by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Working in partnership with the AFSP, the TMF customized the ISP tool for the licensed health professionals it serves in Tennessee and their students/trainees. The TN-PSQ is free to users because it is supported by donors to the TMF.
Program Successes
Use of the TN-PSQ in 2020 was three times what the TMF initially projected due to its launch just prior to the pandemic, and continues to be steady. Data shows 83% of screeners were not already receiving help for their mental health condition -- the very population we were intending to reach with this resource. Of those who returned to the platform to review the TN-PSQ counselor's initial response to their questionnaire, 32% have chosen to dialogue with the counselor and of those, 67% requested referrals to a mental health care resource or therapist nearby.
Beneficiaries
Other Health/Disability
Other Named Groups
Long-term Success
We anticipate continued support from the healthcare community in Tennessee, including promotion and financial assistance, to sustain the TN-PSQ as a resource for struggling health professionals served by the TMF. Our first-year impact was triple the number we expected: 238 health professionals utilized the TN-PSQ in 2020; as of June 2023 over 670 TN health professionals had utilized the screening tool. We expect steady activity to continue in post-pandemic healthcare because stigma and fears still exist about seeking help for mental health struggles, even as the healthcare community adopts a more proactive mindset about the mental health needs of its workforce.
Short-term Success
Year three results, from February 3, 2020-February 2, 2023, showed the TN-PSQ is reaching its targeted population: struggling health professionals who face barriers to seeking mental health care, including stigma, career impact, time, and cost, and who have fears about contacting the TMF directly. Data through February 2023:
• 648 screenings submitted
• 83% were not already receiving treatment or therapy
• 68% reviewed counselor's response
• 32% dialogued with counselor
• 67% requested an appointment or referral
The timing of its launch, just before the COVID-19 crisis, surely propelled the interest in and usage of this new anonymous, voluntary, and interactive screening tool. Most screeners have mentioned COVID and post-pandemic work conditions as a stressor, at work and in life.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored weekly through data reports from the TN-PSQ's online portal measuring usage, dialogues, and referrals made through the site; through comments from users who take the screening; and through partnerships with healthcare organizations sharing the link to the TN-PSQ and response from their health professional communities.
Program Areas Served
Statewide in Tennessee, available online at tn.providerwellness.org
$11,600.00
Description
Increasing mental health referrals to the Tennessee Medical Foundation Physician's Health Program led the Foundation to develop a new mental health resource for use by licensed health professionals across Tennessee. The Tennessee Professional Screening Questionnaire, or TN-PSQ, is an online self-screening tool that was launched statewide on February 3, 2020. Strictly a NON-crisis service, the TN-PSQ offers an anonymous, confidential online mental health screening that will result in referrals to appropriate mental health resources and optional interaction with a program counselor. It utilizes the Interactive Screening Program (ISP), an online screening platform created by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Working in partnership with the AFSP, the TMF customized the ISP tool for the licensed health professionals it serves in Tennessee and their students/trainees. The TN-PSQ is free to users because it is supported by donors to the TMF.
Program Successes
Use of the TN-PSQ in 2020 was three times what the TMF initially projected due to its launch just prior to the pandemic, and continues to be steady. Data shows 83% of screeners were not already receiving help for their mental health condition -- the very population we were intending to reach with this resource. Of those who returned to the platform to review the TN-PSQ counselor's initial response to their questionnaire, 32% have chosen to dialogue with the counselor and of those, 67% requested referrals to a mental health care resource or therapist nearby.
Beneficiaries
Other Health/Disability
Other Named Groups
Long-term Success
We anticipate continued support from the healthcare community in Tennessee, including promotion and financial assistance, to sustain the TN-PSQ as a resource for struggling health professionals served by the TMF. Our first-year impact was triple the number we expected: 238 health professionals utilized the TN-PSQ in 2020; as of June 2023 over 670 TN health professionals had utilized the screening tool. We expect steady activity to continue in post-pandemic healthcare because stigma and fears still exist about seeking help for mental health struggles, even as the healthcare community adopts a more proactive mindset about the mental health needs of its workforce.
Short-term Success
Year three results, from February 3, 2020-February 2, 2023, showed the TN-PSQ is reaching its targeted population: struggling health professionals who face barriers to seeking mental health care, including stigma, career impact, time, and cost, and who have fears about contacting the TMF directly. Data through February 2023:
• 648 screenings submitted
• 83% were not already receiving treatment or therapy
• 68% reviewed counselor's response
• 32% dialogued with counselor
• 67% requested an appointment or referral
The timing of its launch, just before the COVID-19 crisis, surely propelled the interest in and usage of this new anonymous, voluntary, and interactive screening tool. Most screeners have mentioned COVID and post-pandemic work conditions as a stressor, at work and in life.
Program Success Monitored By
The success of the program is monitored weekly through data reports from the TN-PSQ's online portal measuring usage, dialogues, and referrals made through the site; through comments from users who take the screening; and through partnerships with healthcare organizations sharing the link to the TN-PSQ and response from their health professional communities.
Program Areas Served
Statewide in Tennessee, available online at tn.providerwellness.org
Budget
$1,000,000.00
Description
The PHP protects patients through identification, intervention, rehabilitation, and the provision of advocacy/support for physicians and other health professionals impaired by addictive disease and/or mental/emotional illness.
Program Successes
An average of 80% of our Physician Health Program participants successfully complete their contracts, return to work, and are able to enter long-term recovery.
With our TN-PSQ screening tool, we have had more than 480 health professionals across Tennessee access the screening and connect to the help they need since its launch in February 2020.
Category
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention - Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs, General/Other
Beneficiaries
People with substance use disorder
Adults
Other Health/Disability
Long-term Success
The TMF has been helping Tennessee medical professionals since 1978 but since 2002 (when current database records began), the TMF has aided at least 2,600 individuals.
Short-term Success
In 2021, the TMF received 117 new referrals; 47 health professionals signed monitoring agreements, while 30 successfully completed their monitoring contracts and received their TMF graduation coin. Another 27 were referred to alternate therapies or solutions to address their problem without TMF monitoring. Twenty-five referrals were found to need no TMF involvement or assistance.
Program Success Monitored By
TMF success is measured by compliance rates for our current program participants, as well as program graduation numbers. As of 2020, we are also measuring impact through the number of health professionals accessing our online anonymous mental health screening tool, the Tennessee Professional Screening Questionnaire, as well as the severity of their problem, regional locations and other data, as measured by the screening platform.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
$1,000,000.00
Description
The PHP protects patients through identification, intervention, rehabilitation, and the provision of advocacy/support for physicians and other health professionals impaired by addictive disease and/or mental/emotional illness.
Program Successes
An average of 80% of our Physician Health Program participants successfully complete their contracts, return to work, and are able to enter long-term recovery.
With our TN-PSQ screening tool, we have had more than 480 health professionals across Tennessee access the screening and connect to the help they need since its launch in February 2020.
Category
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention - Mental Health, Substance Abuse Programs, General/Other
Beneficiaries
People with substance use disorder
Adults
Other Health/Disability
Long-term Success
The TMF has been helping Tennessee medical professionals since 1978 but since 2002 (when current database records began), the TMF has aided at least 2,600 individuals.
Short-term Success
In 2021, the TMF received 117 new referrals; 47 health professionals signed monitoring agreements, while 30 successfully completed their monitoring contracts and received their TMF graduation coin. Another 27 were referred to alternate therapies or solutions to address their problem without TMF monitoring. Twenty-five referrals were found to need no TMF involvement or assistance.
Program Success Monitored By
TMF success is measured by compliance rates for our current program participants, as well as program graduation numbers. As of 2020, we are also measuring impact through the number of health professionals accessing our online anonymous mental health screening tool, the Tennessee Professional Screening Questionnaire, as well as the severity of their problem, regional locations and other data, as measured by the screening platform.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
