FITNESS FOR DUTY EVALUATIONS
1. There are two situations when MCWAH requires a resident/fellow (housestaff) to undergo a fitness for duty evaluation with a written report from a physician. They are:
a. When there are concerns whether the housestaff has a physical or behavioral condition that may pose a safety risk to patients, oneself or others, and
b. Before a housestaff returns to work following a leave for a serious medical condition.
2. In instances where there are concerns that the housestaff pose a safety risk to patients, oneself or others, FFD must be performed by an independent medical physician selected by MCWAH. The person, usually the Program Director or MCWAH's DIO & Executive Director, requesting the FFD should provide the independent medical physician with as much information as possible regarding the reason for the FFD so that physician may adequately make an evaluation.
3. When housestaff return to work following a leave for a serious medical condition, the housestaff’s provider shall submit a written FFD report to MCWAH.
4. MCWAH reserves the right to require housestaff to undergo a FFD examination conducted by an independent medical provider selected by the DIO & Executive Director of MCWAH or his/her designee. MCWAH pays the costs associated with an independent medical examination under this circumstance.
5. As described above, housestaff are required to authorize the physician providing a FFD report to release all information regarding their medical condition needed to make a decision regarding the employees return to work. Such authorization by the housestaff is required in order to preserve his or her employment benefits.
6. If there is a need to clarify information regarding a housestaff’s fitness for duty (i.e. clarification of restrictions, more information regarding the housestaff is needed to determine the safety of the return to work, etc.) MCWAH’s DIO & Executive Director, Administrator or Director of Risk Management will contact the medical provider who issued the report.
7. Fitness for duty reports must be sent directly to the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals to the attention of its Administrator. In order to preserve the employee’s rights to privacy under HIPAA, an employee’s direct supervisor is not permitted to speak to an employee’s health care provider.
8. The authorized MCWAH staff will limit inquiries to information needed regarding the ability of the housestaff to return to work.
9. Fitness for Duty Reports and other medical files will be maintained in the MCWAH Office separate from its employment file.
This policy was approved by the MCWAH Graduate Medical Education Council on July 18, 2011. The original policy was approved by the MCWAH Graduate Medical Education Council on February 16, 2009.