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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The mission of the Illinois Professionals Health
3Program (IPHP) is to support and guide Illinois health care
4professionals to wellness and healing, thereby promoting safe
5professional practice and enriching the lives of healers and
6their patients; and
 
7    WHEREAS, IPHP is available to assist and advocate for a
8number of health care professionals, including physicians,
9nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and chiropractors; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The types of problems that referrals and
11participants typically face include allegations or actual
12instances of addictions of all kinds, disruptive behavior,
13boundary violations, sexual misconduct, and physical and
14emotional illness; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The IPHP, which was initially developed by the
16Illinois State Medical Society, has no disciplinary authority;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Financial and
19Professional Regulation has approved the IPHP as a monitoring
20and support service and routinely refers health care
21professionals for participation in the IPHP; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, According to news reports, the IPHP has received
2$234,275 from the Illinois Department of Financial and
3Professional Regulation since fiscal year 2009 to monitor
4nurses and pharmacists and the Illinois Department of Financial
5and Professional Regulation has more than 100 confidential
6"Agreements of Care, Counseling, or Treatment" in place that
7allow physicians and other health workers to submit to private
8monitoring instead of public discipline; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Concerns have been raised as to whether adequate
10accountability and oversight exists over the IPHP to ensure
11patient safety; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14the Auditor General is directed to conduct a management audit
15of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional
16Regulation's use and monitoring of the Illinois Professionals
17Health Program during fiscal years 2009 through 2011; and be it
18further
 
19    RESOLVED, That the audit shall include, but need not be
20limited to, the following determinations:
21        (1) whether the IPHP is providing the services
22    contracted for by the Department and is adequately

 

 

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1    monitoring the health professionals' compliance with
2    treatment and rehabilitation plans;
3        (2) whether other requirements established by the
4    contract between the Department and the IPHP are being met;
5        (3) whether health professionals who do not comply with
6    treatment and rehabilitation plans established by the IPHP
7    are appropriately referred to the Department and whether
8    the Department takes disciplinary action, if applicable;
9    and
10        (4) whether the Department has assessed how well the
11    IPHP is performing, such as by determining that the health
12    professionals receiving treatment and rehabilitation
13    services through the IPHP do not pose a risk to the safety
14    and well-being of patients; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Department of Financial and
16Professional Regulation, the Illinois Professionals Health
17Program, and any other entity having information relevant to
18this audit cooperate fully and promptly with the Auditor
19General's Office in the conduct of this audit; and be it
20further
 
21    RESOLVED, That the Auditor General commence this audit as
22soon as possible and report findings and recommendations upon
23completion in accordance with the provisions of Section 3-14 of
24the Illinois State Auditing Act.