04/28/2026
๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ: ๐๐ก๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฌ
Physician Health Programs (PHPs) are frequently discussed in terms of structure, compliance, and oversight โ but at their core, PHPs are about people, recovery, and restoring lives and careers. A recently published study led by Dr. Lisa Merlo (University of Florida, Department of Psychiatry; Florida Professionals Resource Network) offers powerful evidence of this impact:
Among 666 healthcare professionals who completed a PHP between 2019 and 2023, 95% reported that the experience met or exceeded their expectations. Importantly, many participants enter PHPs at an extremely difficult time, often when a health condition is disrupting both their life and their career. Seeking help, evaluation, and treatment under these circumstances is rarely easy for anyone.
In this study, participants acknowledged challenges, including time and financial demands, while also emphasizing that the structure, accountability, peer support, advocacy, and expert guidance became crucial to their recovery and stability over time. What stands out is that as recovery and stability took hold, many came to deeply appreciate the process that changed their lives.
๐ Read the study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajad.70160
The critical findings from this study echo the experiences of Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) participants. In WPHP's 2025 program exit survey, 162 anonymous program participants reported the following:
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85% found WPHP helpful or lifesaving
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78% would refer a colleague to WPHP
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88% needed and benefitted from WPHP advocacy
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88% had reduced or resolved suicidal thoughts or behaviors
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90% reported โoftenโ or โalwaysโ being treated with courtesy and respect by WPHP staff
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87% were working in their field at program completion
WPHP highly values and is grateful for our participants' feedback about their program experience. Hear more from WPHP participants in the materials below:
๐ View WPHP's 2025 Annual Report: https://wphp.org/about/annual-reports/
๐ Listen to WPHP program graduates: https://wphp.org/video/
