Donald McIntosh, MD, Remembered

In the article, “Impaired Physician Program Offers Help, Not Punishment,” published in the Greater Kansas City Medical Bulletin in May 1979, Dr. Donald E. McIntosh was quoted as saying that, “the key of making the [impaired physician] program work is the involvement of every doctor in medical practice. We have a responsibility to our colleagues to be concerned enough about them to respond to their problems.”

His deep compassion and dedicated commitment led to the formation in 1977 of the Missouri State Medical Association’s Ad hoc Committee on the Impaired Physician. The committee, which he chaired, was mandated to study the incidence of the problem in Missouri, and to review and evaluate existing remedial programs.

In July 1978 their findings were submitted in a report known as The McIntosh Report. Only several physicians per year were reviewed at that time by the State Board, therefore, it was apparent that based on national data, that a large number of impaired physicians were not being identified or reviewed.

“The laws of the state of Missouri … did not provide for the identification and rehabilitation of the disabled physician, but they appeared to be aimed more at providing the State Board of Healing Arts a mechanism of protecting the public from the impaired physician.” The same month, an article titled, “The Impaired Doctor” appeared in the Kansas City Star, describing the problem and the need for change. Don received many vehement phone calls about airing dirty linen. Nonetheless, The McIntosh Report was instrumental in the establishment of the first physician hotline followed soon after by the formation of the Missouri Physicians Health Program in 1985.

What factors had contributed to Dr. McIntosh’s dedication to Missouri physicians who were suffering from substance abuse or mental health problems? Don began his college education in philosophy. His advanced studies were interrupted by being drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He completed Medic training and qualified for admission to the U.S. Army Medical Field Service School and graduated as a Psychiatric Social Worker. He worked both with inpatients and outpatients in that capacity and with American Prisoners of War.

Upon discharge, he began working as a Milwaukee County welfare caseworker until enrolling in the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Social Work in 1954. He elected to drop out of graduate school after a year and a half to pursue a medical degree. During his medical school training, he continued to work in the summers as an intake worker and therapist dealing with disturbed children and families. He graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1960, before starting a general practice of medicine in 1961 in Parsons, Kansas. In addition to a general medical practice, he also did individual counseling, and was involved in establishing an AA group in the local community. He completed his residency in anesthesiology in 1966 followed by more than 30 years of practice of anesthesiology primarily at Research Medical Center, as well as serving as a Clinical Professor in Anesthesiology, with the University of Missouri - Kansas City.

Dr. McIntosh served as President of the Jackson County Medical Society, Research Medical Center staff, and the National Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Guilds. He also served on the Research Foundation Board of Directors. Don was a pioneer in pain management and initiated the therapeutic pain program at Research Medical Center. He was the recipient of many awards during his career including the Distinguished Service Award from the Research Medical Center and the President’s Award from the Missouri State Medical Association.

Beyond his professional interests, he was profoundly influenced by the experiences of several family members who battled with alcohol problems. The data about physician suicide was a major concern as well. According to the AMA, at the time that the report was published, 26% of all physician deaths between the ages of 25 and 39 years were due to suicide, compared to only 9% in a comparable male non-physician population. He was quoted as saying that it would take at least one medical school graduating class each year to replace the physicians who committed suicide the previous year.

Additionally, he was quite concerned about the frequency of unsatisfactory marriages among physicians and the high rate of depression found among their spouses. He believed that it was critical that early detection and prevention was available starting with medical schools.

Dr. McIntosh saw each physician as a valuable resource who had dedicated long years of study and financial resources in order to practice medicine. He also knew that in most cases these physicians could be helped and enabled to return to their chosen profession, after a period of rehabilitation. He became so concerned about the lack of resources in Missouri for suicide prone and impaired physicians and the potential deleterious impact on others that he was instrumental in passing the resolution at the MSMA which eventually resulted in the formation of the Missouri Physicians Health Program, which he initially chaired and subsequently continued with as an active committee member.

George P. Hoech, MD, in speaking of his friend and colleague, described Dr. McIntosh as a man who practiced all the Christian virtues. He put his beliefs into action, but never wore his religion on his sleeve. Dr. Hoech went on to say that Don was not only a good mentor for the troubled physicians that sought help, but also to his fellow colleagues. Although Dr. McIntosh’s professional achievements were exceptional, he always remained humble and gentle in spirit.

His Catholic faith contributed to his desire to serve his colleagues in need. His mother had the same kind of dedication, assisting Vietnamese refugees and neglected children in her own neighborhood, as well as working (in her 80s) to develop a senior care facility in her community which was critically needed.

Donald McIntosh was a rare person indeed. His life was shared by his wife, Norene, and their three children. Mrs. McIntosh said they were sometimes forced to live very frugally during their 49 years of marriage, but has no regrets about her fascinating life shared with Don. They traveled to Belize in British Honduras which was without a single trained anesthesiologist and also to the Dominican Republic, through the auspices of CARE, where Don provided training in the techniques of anesthesiology.

It has been a few years since Dr. McIntosh’s premature passing due to cancer. The Missouri Physicians Health Program strives to keep his vision alive by serving today’s physicians in need.

We are proud to honor his memory and strive to uphold the high standard which he set.