Fit for Duty Evaluation

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Dec 14, 2017

I've never been through that nor am I from Wisconsin. All I can do is offer my hopes and prayers & you have that. There are good people in here and hopefully they can offer some insight. Good Luck!!!

willow14 · Dec 15, 2017

Hi and welcome to the site. I don't have any advice, as I didn't need to go through that evaluation, however, I am from WI. Where abouts are you from? I am in the PAP monitoring program (the alternative to discipline program). Sorry I can't really help, but if want to PM me, feel free. It's kind of comforting to get acquainted with others in your own state. Take care.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2017

It seems that in most states, the program or BON has a list of who is "approved" to do these kind of evaluation. Pathetically they are ones that usually stand to make a chunk of money off of doing these things. As in there is some kind of agreement, be it formal or informal between the two to funnel people into their overpriced babysitting scams (oh I meant treatment scams).

If there is any kind of ethics present there should at least be some kind of guidance as to what kind of credentials the person doing the evaluation must have. Like must they be an MD with a specialization in addiction medicine, or a psychiatrist or something like that?

Leaving you swing in the wind with no clue about where to even start looking is just as wrong as being directed to the single or two biased ones that most are sent to.

It seems that saying "you must undergo a fitness for duty evaluation by a board certified physician in addiction medicine or psychiatry" would at least give you a starting point. Most of us in other states would be ecstatic at having been given that choice.

I would start calling around to practices with doctors with those credentials. If they have heard of the program or method to retain your license that you are doing, they may know how to do the interview and structure it appropriately.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Dec 15, 2017

I hope these costs are covered at least in part by your insurance carrier

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · Dec 15, 2017

If you are at the very least given some choice in who to see for this thing instead of being ordered to a specific biased probably crooked individual then the chance of your insurance covering it is much higher.

Much good wishes in making it through this process, reasonably unscathed.

SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN · Dec 17, 2017

I'm not one to stick up for insurance companies. However, the reason they won't pay for most of this stuff is that they don't deem it medically appropriate. In truth without the 12 step propaganda I don't think they would pay for any of this recovery rated nonsense. What we seem to have is an expensive model for inpatient and outpatient "treatment" that is largely ineffective and the whole point of that treatment is to tell you to hook into a free 12 step program. Medical detox is medically necessary but the rest of this garbage??? I'm sure they also won't pay because most of us aren't diagnosed my anything that looks like a medical professional. The intake counselor / social worker seems to have the job of filling up empty beds at the babysitting establishment and none of us have an individualized treatment plan rather we are placed in expensive "one size fits all" programs with zero unbiased medical oversight.