1. When to Consider Making a Referral for an Assessment
   Assessment can assist medical organizations and physicians with questions about:
   • Appropriateness of decision-making needed for adequate patient management
   • Timing of response to pertinent patient presentations and clinical data
   • Depth and breadth of clinical knowledge necessary to address patient needs
   • Ability to respond to and make appropriate decisions in stressful situations
   • Consistency of care provided
   • Other issues related to patient care management
   
   Medical organizations may also consider a referral for assessment in the following situations:
   • Evaluation of the clinical competence of a physician who has been out of practice for an extended period
   • Identification of educational activities needed to enhance physician practice patterns or assist in career transitions
   • Review of the clinical capabilities of a physician with personal health concerns including recovery from disabling illness or injury, neurocognitive concerns, substance abuse, or other issues that may impact practice
2. When an Assessment is Not Appropriate
   Assessment is not appropriate for physicians with:
   • Current alcohol or drug impairment
   • Unmanaged mental health impairment
   • Obvious, severe cognitive impairment
   • Severe personality/behavior issues ("disruptive physician")*
   
   Assessment does not provide observation or assessment of technical/surgical/procedural skills.
3. How to Refer a Physician
   Referral for an assessment can occur in many ways. The referring agency, the physician, or the physician's counsel can contact an assessment program to make the referral. It is helpful if information on issues prompting the referral is provided.
4. Information Requested when Referring a Physician for Assessment
   The following information may be requested from the referring agency at the time of a referral for assessment:
   • Reason for referral for assessment
   • Additional concerns (e.g., disruptive behavior, sexual misconduct issues)
   • Compliance timeframes mandated for assessment, including deadline (if any) for receipt of the assessment outcome report
   • Status of license and current practice
   • Status of investigation or action
   • Brief history of interactions(s) with referring entity
   • Known practice distractors or more global issues
   • Other markers and indicators (e.g., medical board actions, hospital actions, malpractice suits)
   
   
5. Scheduling an Assessment
   After receipt of any necessary intake materials and fees, staff at the assessment center will contact the physician to identify and confirm assessment dates.
6. Deadlines and Timeframes
   The time from physician enrollment to the release of the assessment outcome report to the referring agency is generally a 7-9 week process:
   • Allow three to four weeks after the physician submits the required materials to schedule the assessment;
   • The assessment is conducted onsite at the assessment center program and may take one to two days, depending on the physician's specialty and level of assessment required;
   • Allow an additional three to four weeks after the assessment is completed for development of the assessment outcome report.
   
   Timeframes: Assessment programs collaborating with the Post-Licensure Assessment System (PLAS) are committed to making every effort to meet deadlines set by the referring agency. To ensure an efficient process:
   • Notify the assessment center of any key dates (deadlines or meetings) as early as possible in the referral process;
   • It is helpful to be specific about due dates for submission of materials for scheduled agency meetings.
7. Encouraging Compliance and a Timely Assessment
   In our experience, physician-participants are more likely to contact an assessment program and enroll in an assessment within a timely manner when the referring agency provides them with a written timetable (please refer to Sample Language for Mandating a Clinical Competence Assessment for suggestions).

*Some programs that conduct clinical competence assessments also provide evaluations of "disruptive" physicians; see the Directory of Assessment and Remediation Programs on this website for such programs.

CONTACT INFORMATION

To contact an assessment program, refer to the list of PLAS collaborators


To contact the PLAS:
(817) 868-4022
P.O. Box 619850
Dallas, TX 75261-9850
plas@fsmb.org