Increased mental health concerns among health professionals was deemed a public health crisis even before the pandemic; post-COVID conditions have intensified longstanding challenges and contributed to worsening problems, including compassion fatigue, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and suicidal thoughts. Burnout among these professionals has reached crisis levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Physicians at every level, including students, residents, and fellows, battle fear, stigma, and other barriers to seeking mental health care. We are pleased to let you know about a unique online service available to our health professional community that will help overcome some of those barriers to care.
The Tennessee Professional Screening Questionnaire (TN-PSQ) is a free, online resource provided by the Tennessee Medical Foundation that allows you to anonymously:
Completing the online questionnaire and making use of this service is completely voluntary. Your identity will not be known to SVMIC or to the TN-PSQ counselor unless you decide to share it.
SVMIC is committed to supporting our community to maintain optimal wellness. If you have any questions about this service, please contact Brenda Williams-Denbo at brendaw@e-tmf.org or 615-467-6411.
Dr. Baron obtained his MD and MPH degrees from Tulane University. He completed his Anesthesiology residency at Washington University in St Louis and his Psychiatry residency at Vanderbilt University. He is board certified in Anesthesiology, Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Baron was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (BME) in 2010 and
reappointed in 2015. He helped write Tennessee Department of Health rules pertaining to the treatment of pain, prescribing controlled substances, and Office-Based Opioid Treatment. He also served on two workgroups for the Federation of State Medical Boards: Physician Sexual Misconduct, and Physician Illness and Impairment. Dr. Baron resigned from the Tennessee BME in January 2017 to accept the Medical Director position of the Tennessee Medical Foundation- Physician’s Health Program.
In 2006, Dr. Baron published original research showing that high dose opioids increased chronic pain scores. In 2023 he helped write two book chapters: “Fitness for Duty” for the Encyclopedia for Neurological Disorders and “Supporting Patients Working in Safety Sensitive Occupations” for the 4th Edition of the ASAM Criteria. Dr. Baron was installed as president of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP) in May 2024.
Our team is here to answer any questions you might have or to help you fill out a quote application.
