IMP3 believes the skills and reputation of pharmacy professionals and student pharmacists can be maintained if monitoring and supportive services are put in place at an early stage. IMP3 may confidentially assist pharmacy professionals and student pharmacists in obtaining the necessary support for healthy recovery from substance use, mental health and/or physical conditions.
Pharmacy professionals who have a condition that may have the potential to affect their ability to practice safely should self-report to IMP3. By not reporting, they put themselves and their patients at risk.
You may self report by doing one of the following:
SAMHSA Launches New Substance Abuse Treatment Locator Website
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has launched FindTreament.gov, a new website that helps people find and learn about treating substance abuse disorders. Launched on October 30, 2019, the website is an update to SAMHSA’s previous treatment directory and is intended to make finding treatment more user friendly, according to MM&M. Compiled data from 13,000 treatment facilities across the US is available on the new website.
“When someone opens up about their struggles with addiction, it’s critical they and their loved ones have the right resources to quickly find help, and that’s exactly what this treatment locator aims to provide. Every situation is unique, and the Trump Administration continues to support people who seek substance use treatment on their journey to recovery,” said Jim Carroll, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy in a statement.
IMP3 Frequently Asked Questions
Pharmacy professionals are obligated to report any knowledge of a colleague's possible condition to the Board in a timely manner. Pharmacy professionals who fail to report a colleague's situation may find themselves in the unfortunate position of being subject to disciplinary action themselves by the Board.
If you are worried about a colleague's possible condition, you may encourage that individual to self-report. You may also contact IMP3 directly about the issue and this will satisfy your obligation for reporting the matter to the Board.
IMP3 is responsible for determining whether or not a pharmacy professional or student pharmacist meets the criteria for participation in the program. An individual is not eligible for the program if any of the following apply:
engaged in the unlawful diversion or distribution of a controlled or illegal substance to a third party or for personal gain or profit;
caused potential harm or injury to a patient; or
failed to provide truthful information or to fully cooperate with IMP3 or the Board.
It is in a pharmacy professional’s best interest to self-report to IMP3 as soon as possible if any of the following applies:
missed work for more than two weeks due to a mental health or physical condition of a chronic or debilitating nature;
been diagnosed with a chronic illness with a known mental health component
had issues related to drug and/or alcohol use such as operating while intoxicated (OWI) and/or other alcohol or drug related offenses; disciplinary action by a federal or state agency for this reason; pilfered controlled substances for personal use; or practiced pharmacy under the influence of alcohol and/or other mood altering substances;
experiencing anger management concerns; or
been urged by friends, family or colleagues to get help for mental health issues such as depression, or a physical condition, and/or substance use.
Once an individual contacts IMP3 about a possible situation that could affect their ability to practice pharmacy, IMP3 will gather information about their situation. This may result in referral for further evaluation and/or treatment (see below for SAMHSA's treatment locator), if indicated. IMP3 then determines whether or not the pharmacy professional would benefit from ongoing support and monitoring. If so, an individualized contract is developed that includes safeguards that are designed to allow the individual to continue/return to practice with reasonable skill and safety. It is IMP3’s hope that the majority of the participants in IMP3 are actively practicing pharmacy.
State law mandates that information about IMP3 participants be kept confidential as long as participants are in compliance with program requirements. This means information about a participant will not become a matter of public record, i.e., be reported to the Board, the National Practitioner Data Bank, or the news media. IMP3 only provides information about participants to the Board when they are not in compliance with the terms of their agreements or contracts. It is the Board’s hope this is a rare occurrence because participants are given clear and fair guidelines for remaining in good standing with the program.
A pharmacy professional’s participation in the Iowa Monitoring Program for Pharmacy Professionals (IMP3) is confidential to the public as long as the participant is in compliance with program requirements. The public does not have access to information that identifies participants in the program, except in those few cases where a participant has formal disciplinary charges filed by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy (Board), including charges for noncompliance with an IMP3 contract.
The Board may know or learn of the pharmacy professional’s participation in the program, or information regarding a program participant may be released to the Board, for the following reasons:
Participant is referred or ordered by the Board to participate in IMP3
Participant is not compliant with their IMP3 contract and is referred by IMP3 to the Board
The Board receives and must investigate a complaint that participant is in violation of administrative rules or statues that are not related to the participant’s impairment
The Board needs to determine, when reviewing a complaint involving a participant that is related to an impairment, that the participant is in compliance with their IMP3 contract
Participant’s pharmacy practice poses a significant risk to the public
Des Moines Professional's Group Where - UnityPoint - Lutheran Hospital, 4th floor, room 461 When - Mondays, 5:30-6:30pm Register before attending by calling (515) 263-2424
Dubuque Area Caduceus Group Where - Mercy Medical Center, 250 Mercy Drive, room 1E When - Wednesdays, 7:00pm Who - Licensed medical professionals in recovery Contact person - John, (563) 564-1264 or Adam, (563) 564-2683
Iowa City Caduceus Group Where - UHIC, Five Boyd Tower (elevator A to the fifth floor), room 5027 When - Thursdays, 6:00pm Contact person - Vicki Osland, LISW, CADC, (319) 356-8935,Vicki-osland@uiowa.edu
Omaha Licensee Support Group Where - Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Heritage Room, 2nd floor near cafeteria on south end of hospital When - Tuesdays 7-8pm & Sundays 9-10am Who - Addicted and recovering health professionals & health professional students (physicians from Iowa are welcomed) Contact person - Jeff Baldwin, Pharm.D., (402) 493-2384 (home), (402) 559-6498 (work)
Rock Island Caduceus Group Where - Center for Alcohol and Drug Services, Inc. 4230 11th St., Rock Island, IL 61201 When - Thursdays evenings Contact person - John, (309) 738-1105. Individuals must call before attending their first meeting
