PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Polles, Alexandria G.
AU  - Araujo, Cristiana N.P.
AU  - Hemphill, Rosalie S.
AU  - Gao, Hanzhi
AU  - Merlo, Lisa J.
TI  - Characterizing Referrals to Professional Health Monitoring Programs for Unprofessional Sexual Behavior
AID  - 10.29158/JAAPL.240069-24
DP  - 2024 Sep 12
TA  - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
PG  - JAAPL.240069-24
4099  - http://jaapl.org/content/early/2024/09/12/JAAPL.240069-24.short
4100  - http://jaapl.org/content/early/2024/09/12/JAAPL.240069-24.full
AB  - Concerns about sexual misconduct by health care professionals have been highlighted by recent high-profile cases. Professional health monitoring programs (PHPs) offer an additional layer of protection when health care professionals with a history of unprofessional sexual behavior (USB) return to practice; however, little is known about the characteristics or outcomes of clinicians referred to a PHP because of USB. Data were extracted from over 35 years of PHP records involving USB-related referrals (N = 570). The majority of cases were deemed ineligible for PHP monitoring and handled by other entities (e.g., licensing board, legal system). Of the 232 monitored cases (46.84 ± 9.42 years; 95.7% male), most were physicians (n = 156, 67.2%), with 75.9 percent of monitored cases involving USB with at least one patient. Most (74.9%) PHP monitoring outcomes were classified as “successful” or “very successful.” Only three individuals (1.3%) who completed their monitoring were rereferred to the PHP. Monitored professionals exhibited less severe USB and were less likely to experience legal or disciplinary consequences (57.3% versus 69.8%, Cramer’s V = .174, p < .0001) compared with unmonitored professionals. Findings enhance transparency of the PHP process and highlight its utility in safely returning clinicians to practice. Results may inform policies to prevent USB by health care professionals.