Our Adolescent Psychiatrist Contract Attorney can review your contract, identify the areas that could improve, and assist you in negotiating the best contract possible. Each Adolescent Psychiatrist that requests our assistance receives the following:
- Available in any state
- Flat-rate pricing with no hidden costs
- Review of your proposed employment agreement
- Phone consultation reviewing the contract term by term
- Follow up with a review of the needed clarification
Physician Employment Contracts Review for Adolescent Psychiatrists
New residents, attending physicians, or doctors entering their first employment contract can greatly benefit from a comprehensive contract review. With the guidance of a knowledgeable attorney, the often complicated language found in these contracts can be clearly understood.
This understanding will empower you to make informed decisions about any medical contract that might impact your career for years to come.
As an adolescent psychiatrist, you have the unique opportunity to shape the mental health of young individuals, which is a rewarding and challenging role. Beyond providing exceptional care, you may also be interested in maximizing your professional earnings throughout your career. Here are some strategies to consider:
- Diversify Your Practice: Depending on your skills and interests, you may choose to diversify your practice. This can involve offering various services, such as telepsychiatry, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or family therapy. This approach can not only improve your earnings but also make your work more varied and fulfilling. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry’s AACAP Practice Parameters provides a comprehensive guide for treating specific disorders and managing particular situations.
- Continuing Education: Regularly updating your knowledge and skills through continuing medical education (CME) can make you more competitive and allow you to offer more services. The American Psychiatric Association offers a variety of CME courses relevant to adolescent psychiatry.
- Negotiate Your Contracts: Whether you’re starting a new job or renegotiating your contract, it’s crucial to ensure your agreement reflects the value you bring to your employer. This may involve negotiating your salary, your hours, or your responsibilities. A law firm experienced in physician contract review, like Chelle Law, can help you understand and negotiate your contract.
- Join a Group Practice: If you’re currently a solo practitioner, consider joining a group practice. This can provide several financial benefits, including shared overhead costs and potential referrals from other practitioners within the group.
- Offer Supervision or Consultation Services: If you have significant experience and expertise, consider offering supervision or consultation services to other professionals. This can be a rewarding way to share your knowledge and supplement your income.
- Expand Your Network: Networking can lead to new opportunities and referrals. Consider joining professional organizations, attending conferences, and making connections with other professionals in your area.
By following these tips, you can continue to provide excellent care for your patients while also maximizing your professional earnings. Always remember to balance financial goals with the passion for your specialty, as the latter is what brought you to this meaningful field in the first place.
Physician Contract Terms in Need of Lawyer Review
The takeaway is clear: before entering into any agreement, physicians should seek a thorough contract review by legal counsel. There’s too much at stake to navigate these complex medical contracts without professional guidance. These contracts can have significant effects on a physician’s family, lifestyle, and future.
Key terms and clauses in medical contracts, which can present various challenges for physicians, include:
- Non-compete clauses
- Insufficient professional liability insurance and tail coverage
- Unfair call schedules
- Practice support
- Production bonuses
- Inadequate paid time off (PTO) or Vacation time
- Biased termination provisions
- Continuing Medical Education (CME) expenses
- Dues and fees
- Compensation
Review of Non-Compete Clauses by an Adolescent Psychiatrist Contract Attorney?
Non-compete clauses are generally enforceable if considered reasonable. The standard test of reasonableness includes:
- The restraint is no more than necessary to protect the employer
- It does not impose undue hardship on the psychiatrist
- The restraint is not harmful to the public
Not every state enforces physician non-compete clauses equally. Some require a buy-out option, while others strictly limit or even prohibit such clauses. States with current restrictions or prohibitions include California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Mexico.
Ending an Agreement with a Health Care Practice
Non-competes in psychiatrist contracts were initially viewed as trade restraints and deemed invalid. However, many such restraints have been upheld based on the rule of reason. Therefore, non-compete clauses are generally enforceable, provided they are reasonable.
Nonetheless, several states prohibit non-compete clauses. It’s important to check your state’s laws regarding non-compete rules and regulations.
In one case, a provider restricted from practicing his specialty after leaving his job had their non-compete clause deemed unreasonable. The clause was deemed harsh because it prevented the transfer of knowledge between providers in an area with few subspecialties.
In Ohio, some doctors must sign contracts promising not to seek employment with a competitor before they can be hired. These agreements have caused controversy, but legal measures are in place to balance the interests of both parties.
Health Care Contracting Checklist
Employee or physician contracts are all unique. However, nearly all healthcare contracts for healthcare providers should contain several essential terms. If these contracts do not spell out the critical terms, disputes can arise when there is a disagreement between parties regarding the details of the specific term. For instance, if the doctor is expecting to work Monday through Thursday and the psychiatrist group thinks it’s Monday through Friday. Still, the particular workdays are absent from the contract—who prevails?
Spelling out the details of a physician’s job is crucial to avoid healthcare contract conflicts during the employment contract term.
Below is a checklist of important terms that contracts should contain (and a brief explanation of each term generally discussed in negotiations):
- Base Compensation: Is there an annual salary? How often is it paid? Does it increase over the contract term? Is compensation reviewed yearly or quarterly? Is there a connection to group management?
- Practice Assignment: Can the contract be transferred by the employer? Will the contract require continuous compliance with a new employer if assigned?
- Outside Activities: Can employees engage in moonlighting or locum tenens? Is the employer’s approval needed before accepting other medicine-related roles?
- Practice Post-Termination Payment Obligations: Is the physician entitled to any production bonuses after the contract ends?
- Professional License: Does the practice reimburse licensing fees? Is there an advisor available?
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR): Will training resources or time to familiarize oneself with the system be provided before care delivery begins?
- Non-Solicitation: What is the duration of the non-solicitation clause? Does it cover employees, clients, patients, and business associates?
- Practice Services Offered: What are the clinical patient care responsibilities? Is there designated time for reviewing administrative tasks? How many patients is the physician expected to handle?
- For Cause Termination: What are the conditions for immediate termination for cause? Is there a review process to challenge the termination?
- Professional Liability Insurance: What kind of liability insurance does the employer offer, such as claims made, occurrence, or self-insurance? Is there a provision for license and litigation defense? Is the tail negotiable?
- Patient Care Schedule: On what days and hours should patient care be provided each week? What’s the surgery schedule like? Do employees have input in their schedules?
- Financial Retirement: Is a retirement plan included in the package?
- Tail Insurance: If tail insurance is required, who bears the cost when the contract ends?
- Locations: At which facilities are employees assigned to provide care, such as outpatient clinics, surgical sites, in-patient services, etc.?
- Notice: How is notice delivered? By hand, email, or US mail? Should it be sent to the employer’s attorney?
- Continuing Medical Education (CME): What is the annual allowance for CME expenses? How much time off is provided for this?
- Signing Bonus: Is there a signing bonus for employees? When is it paid out? Is repayment required if the employee leaves before completing the initial term? Are student loans repaid? Is there a student loan forgiveness period?
- Practice Call Schedule: How frequently is the employed physician required to be on call, including after-hours office call, ASC, and hospital call?
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: In case of a contract dispute, is mediation or arbitration used? What’s the standard process for attorney review of disputes? Who chooses the attorney overseeing the process?
- Dues and Fees: Which business expenses are covered, like board licensing, DEA registration, privileging, ASA membership, Board review?
- Non-Compete: What is the duration and geographic scope of the non-compete clause?
- Productivity Compensation: If there’s productivity compensation, how is it determined (wRVU, net collections, patient encounters, etc.)? Is there an annual review?
- Paid Time Off: What is the total time off offered? How is it divided between vacation, sick days, CME attendance, and holidays? Is there an HR guide?
- Disability Insurance: Are short-term and long-term disability insurance provided?
- Relocation Assistance: Is relocation assistance available? What are the repayment terms if the contract ends before the initial term expires?
- Without Cause Termination: How much notice must either party give to terminate the agreement without cause?
- Practice Benefits Summary: What standard benefits are offered, such as health, vision, dental, life, and retirement? Who advises on human resource benefits?
Contract Review Lawyers for an Adolescent Psychiatrist
We also offer contract review for Vascular Surgeons and Allergist Contract Analysis.
Coming into a new organization with a favorable contract can put the physician in a positive financial situation for years to come. Before signing the most important contract of your life, turn to an experienced Adolescent Psychiatrist Contract Attorney for assistance.