Our physician contract attorneys can review your contract, identify the areas that could improve, and assist you in negotiating the best contract possible.
Each Infectious Disease physician who requests our assistance receives the following:
- Review of your proposed employment agreement
- Consultation reviewing the contract term by term
- Assistance in negotiating with the employer (if necessary)
Attorney for Contract Review of Infectious Disease Physician
A thorough contract review can benefit new residents, attending physicians, doctors entering their first employment contract, or established physicians looking for new employment. By employing an experienced attorney for your representation, you can ensure that you will be able to fully understand the extensive and complex wording included in your contract.
By having a complete understanding of agreements, you will be in a better position to decide whether or not you want to enter into the medical contract that will affect your career life for years to come.
Important Terms for Employment Agreement
The present-day conclusion is simple: an infectious disease physician should only enter into agreements by having the contract reviewed by legal counsel. There is too much at risk for a physician to take medical contract matters into their own hands. In addition to the specific professional implications, terms of medical contracts can significantly impact a physician’s family, lifestyle, and future.
There are many important terms and clauses in medical contracts which can present complex and diverse issues for physicians, including:
- Non-compete clauses
- Inadequate professional liability insurance and tail coverage
- Unfavorable call schedules
- Practice support
- Production Bonuses (RVU, net income, or hybrid structures)
- Not enough paid time off (PTO) or Vacation time
- Biased Termination Provisions (With or Without Cause)
- Continuing Medical Education (CME)
- Dues and Fees (AMA, Health Care Board)
- Compensation
Breach of Contract Review by an Infectious Disease Contract Attorney
If a doctor breaches an employment contract, it means they have failed to fulfill the terms of their agreement with their employer. The consequences of a contract breach will depend on the contract terms and laws of the jurisdiction where the agreement was made.
Possible consequences of a breach of contract by a doctor could include financial penalties, such as damages or lost wages. The doctor may also be required to return any benefits they received under the contract, such as a signing bonus or relocation expenses.
In some cases, the employer may be able to terminate the employment contract early due to the breach. If the breach is severe enough, the employer may also be able to pursue legal action against the doctor for damages. It is crucial for the doctor and the employer to carefully review the terms of the employment contract and seek legal advice if there are any questions or concerns about the terms of the agreement.
Infectious Disease Physician Career Tips
As an infectious disease specialist, you play a crucial role in diagnosing, managing, and treating various infectious diseases. To bolster your professional growth and maximize your earning potential, here are some strategies to consider:
- Stay Up-To-Date: Infectious diseases are constantly evolving, and new diseases emerge frequently. Staying up-to-date with the latest advancements in infectious disease research can help you provide cutting-edge care for your patients. Regularly check resources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Sub-Specialization: Consider focusing on a specific subset of infectious diseases, such as tropical diseases, HIV/AIDS, or pediatric infectious diseases. This can increase your earning potential by establishing you as an expert in a particular area. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) can provide more information about these specializations.
- Engage in Research: Participating in clinical trials or other research studies can provide additional income and help advance the field of infectious disease. Many trials are listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov database.
- Consultation Services: Many healthcare facilities and providers may not have an infectious disease specialist on staff and could benefit from your consultation services. This not only expands your professional network but also provides an additional income source.
- Teaching and Lecturing: Teaching at a medical school, giving lectures or webinars, or conducting workshops are all excellent ways to earn extra income and raise your professional profile. Many professional organizations like the American College of Physicians (ACP) provide opportunities for this.
- Telemedicine: The use of telemedicine has grown exponentially in recent years, and it’s expected to continue to rise. Providing telemedicine services can allow you to reach more patients, especially those in remote areas, thus broadening your income potential. Platforms such as Teladoc can help facilitate this.
- Collaboration: Collaborate with healthcare providers in related specialties, such as primary care physicians, pediatricians, or immunologists. This can lead to more patient referrals and a larger patient base.
Remember, your professional success as an infectious disease specialist is not just about maximizing income—it’s about providing excellent patient care, contributing to medical science, and maintaining a commitment to lifelong learning and growth in your field.
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 employer thinks it’s Monday through Friday. Still, the particular workdays are absent from the contract—who prevails?
Employment Agreement Checklist
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):
- Practice Services Offered: What is the clinical patient care duties? Is there time for a review of administrative tasks? How many patients is the physician expected to see?
- Patient Care Schedule: What days and hours are employees expected to provide patient care per week? What is the surgery schedule? Are employees involved in the planning of their schedules?
- Locations: Which facilities will the employer schedule the employees to provide care at (outpatient clinic, surgical sites, in-patient services, etc.)?
- Outside Activities: Are employees permitted to pursue moonlighting or locum tenens opportunities? Does a physician need permission from the employer before accepting medicine-related positions?
- Disability Insurance: Is disability insurance provided (short-term and long-term)?
- Professional License: Will the practice offer reimbursement for licensing? Will an advisor be provided?
- Practice Call Schedule: How often is the employed physician on call (after-hours office call, ASC, hospital call (if applicable))?
- Electronic Medical Records (EMR): Will the employer provide training resources or time to review the system before delivering care?
- Base Compensation: What is the annual base salary? What is the pay period frequency? Does the base compensation increase over the term of the agreement? Is there a yearly review or quarterly review of compensation? Is there a group management relationship?
- Productivity Compensation: If there is productivity compensation, how is it calculated (wRVU, net collections, patient encounters, etc.)? Is there an annual review?
- Practice Benefits Summary: Are standard benefits offered: health, vision, dental, life, retirement, etc.? Who is the advisor of human resource benefits?
- Paid Time Off: How much time off does the job offer? What is the split between vacation, sick days, CME attendance, and holidays? Is there an HR guide?
- Continuing Medical Education (CME): What is the annual allowance for CME expenses, and how much time off do they offer?
- Dues and Fees: Which business financial expenses are covered (board licensing, DEA registration, privileging, ASA membership, Board review)?
- Relocation Assistance: Is relocation assistance offered? What are the repayment obligations if the contract is terminated before the expiration of the initial term?
- Signing Bonus: Is an employee signing bonus offered? When is it paid? Does the employee have to pay it back if they leave before they complete the initial term? Are student loans paid back? Is there a forgiveness period for student loans?
- Professional Liability Insurance: What type of liability insurance (malpractice) the employer offers: claims made, occurrence, self-insurance? License and litigation defense? Can you negotiate tail?
- Tail Insurance: If tail insurance is necessary, who pays for it when the agreement terminates?
- Term: What is the length of the initial term? Does the agreement automatically renew after the initial term?
- For Cause Termination: What are the grounds for immediate termination for cause? Is a review provided to dispute the termination?
- Without Cause Termination: How much notice is required for either party to terminate the agreement without cause?
- Practice Post-Termination Payment Obligations: Will the physician receive production bonuses after the agreement terminates?
- Non-Compete: How long does the non-compete last, and what is the prohibited geographic scope?
- Financial Retirement: Is a financial retirement plan offered?
- Non-Solicitation: How long does it last, and does it cover employees, clients, patients, and business associates?
- Notice: How is the notice given? Via hand delivery, email, US mail, etc.? Does it have to be provided to the employer’s attorney?
- Practice Assignment: Can the employer assign the agreement? Will the healthcare agreement require ongoing compliance with a new employer?
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: If there is a conflict regarding the contract, will mediation or arbitration be utilized? What is the standard attorney review process for disputes? Who decides which attorney oversees the process?
We also offer contract reviews for Immunologists and analysis of Internal Medicine Employment Agreements.
Contract Attorney for Infectious Disease
Coming into a new organization with a favorable contract can put the physician in a positive financial situation for years to come. Contracts contain much misleading information and terminology that an attorney knows how to deal with and points such as clauses that take negotiations. It takes an educated and knowledgeable defense attorney to help you understand physician contracts.
Before you sign the most binding legal contract of your life, turn to an experienced Infectious Disease Contract Attorney for assistance because he has the expertise, care, knowledge, and resources to help. A clever attorney will come to your defense and can resolve many issues and do a consult to help you understand how to deal with contracts and the agreement clauses therein. He must know many aspects of medicine, health, and health law.
No matter their expertise, such as surgery or pediatrics, physicians need assistance from a license-defense lawyer or a medical agreement lawyer at some point in their career.
Contacting and hiring a law firm with contract experience and a license-defense attorney is the way to get the help needed. Using an Infectious Disease Contract Attorney becomes vital for an Infectious Disease Contract Attorney if a physician wants to ensure an iron-clad contract.