Tribal Doctors Quit Over Drug Testing

A policy requiring random drug testing for employees of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe reportedly prompted the tribe’s only full-time physicians to resign.

Tribal Councilman Norm Campbell said questions about the legality of the drug-testing policy have been raised since the program was implemented in January.

“Those individuals that chose not to be in compliance are free to make whatever choice they like relative to their continued employment with the tribe,” Campbell said Wednesday.

Benewah Medical Center’s three full-time physicians announced they will quit April 1, 1997. Dr. Alyson Roby declined to comment on the reason for her resignation, but said she and her colleagues are “certainly willing to work with the clinic and the tribe and there is continuing discussion.”

Campbell said he had not been contacted about the drug-testing policy by Benewah Medical Center physicians. But after legal questions were raised about the policy, tribal leaders referred it to their attorneys.

“We’ve reviewed the question of whether the tribe was within its right to implement that policy and determined we are within our rights to do that,” Campbell said.

Officials said Benewah Medical Center would not shut down, whether the doctors ultimately decide to stay on or not. Administrative officials at the hospital and tribal spokesman Bob Bostwick declined further comment, calling the announced resignations a personnel issue.