Physician Employment: Timing Your Job Search

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The fall is an exciting time for physicians in training- for many in their last year of residency or fellowship, this is the time to begin the all-important job search! While some physicians may already have their first job locked down, for many, the job search process is just getting started. With the end of the calendar year right around the corner, potential employers have their budget for next year and their unmet clinical needs at the top of their minds. This makes it the perfect time for physicians to network and send out their cover letter and CV.

In an age of recruiters contacting physicians day and night, it is easy to loose sight of the need to take control of your own physician job search. Many physicians in training rely on word of mouth regarding what positions are opening up, and on getting offers for interviews from recruiters. It is important to remember that a comprehensive job search includes not only considering the job openings that come to you by way of recruiters and your colleagues, but also includes diving out into the large expanse of potential employers and finding what else might be available. Many times physicians end up taking a job that was brought to them, rather than going and seeking out what may end up being a much better match. While time consuming, a comprehensive job search will help lessen the dreaded outcome of unhappiness in your first job, and needing to do it all over again within just a few short years.

For information on how a physician agent can make your job search efficient and comprehensive, while also adding tremendous value from all angles, please visit our Premier Opportunity page to learn about our services, or contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at loneill@lauthoneill.com or 317-989-4833.

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Physician Contract Negotiation: It Can't Hurt to Ask. Or Can It?

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One of the questions I often hear from physician clients as they are navigating the negotiation process is, "should I really ask for any changes to my contract? Couldn't that backfire?"  The answer, of course, depends on who you are dealing with, and the report you share with your potential employer.  Most often we find that in candid and pleasant contract negotiations, where the physician is being reasonable in his or her requests, the response to those requests is very positive. Most sophisticated employers understand that when a physician hires an attorney to review their employment agreement, they are doing so in order to protect their best interests, which is exactly what the employer did when they drafted the employment agreement.  The same employer typically understands the physician's point of view, and appreciates the ways in which physicians try to protect themselves.

As an attorney for physicians who are negotiating their employment agreement, I see this scenario play out all the time.  I routinely make various recommendations to my clients as to how their employment offer(s) can be strengthened in their favor, and my clients often wonder what the consequences might be of asking for some or all of the suggested changes.  I always advise clients that when you go back to an employer with requests for changes, you are technically making a counter offer, which the employer is free to reject; however, with the right tone and candor, such requests can be successfully requested without jeopardizing the employment offer.  And in most cases, the employer is anxious to work together with the physician to find a reasonable contract term with which both parties are happy. So in answer to this post's question: No, it typically does not hurt to ask for certain changes to be made to your physician employment agreement.  When done properly, pleasantly, and with reasonable expectations, physician contract negotiations can often result in a contract that is more favorable to the physician than what was originally offered.

For more information on physician employment contract negotiations, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at loneill@lauthoneill.com or 317-989-4833.

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Physician Contract Review Time!

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With much of the medical community operating on a fiscal year that begins in less than two weeks, many physicians are about to begin a brand new job. Many times when an employer offers a physician a job, the employer will actually suggest that the physician have their contract reviewed by an attorney. Even so, many physicians wonder if paying an attorney to review their agreement is really worth the cost.  I am often asked whether employers really make changes to their employment agreements? Do the employers ever increase the physician's compensation? Does the verbiage in the contract really make a difference? The answers to these questions depends, of course, on the particular circumstances at hand. I always tell clients that one of the most valuable aspects of having their contract reviewed by a lawyer is that the client learns exactly what is expected of them, and what the consequences will be if the physician ever leaves the employment relationship. And with regard to having changes made to the contract terms, compensation, and benefits, some employers will make significant changes on all fronts, while others will limit the changes they are willing to make to only certain areas of the agreement. The moral of this story is that physician employment contracts always include legal terms that can have significant consequences to the physician employee, and many times, employers are ready and willing to make changes to agreements that favor the physician employee. For these reasons, it is always a good idea to have your physician employment agreement reviewed by a lawyer before you sign on the dotted line.

For more information on how a physician contract review may benefit you, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or laloneill@me.com.

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Physician Job Searching: Feeling Overwhelmed?

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With the end of the medical fiscal year drawing to a close in about 2-3 months (depending on your specialty), the enormous task of finding and locking in the right job can seem overwhelming, especially when you consider all of the steps involved in doing a thorough job search (oh, and what about that little thing called "Boards" coming up?). Having a job search partner, who is paid to look out for your best interests, can make this process not only much more manageable, but maybe even enjoyable? At least that is my goal! As a physician agent, I do all that I can on my clients' behalf, so they can enjoy whatever free time they might have left after the long days and nights at work. Everything from fine-tuning your CV, to writing your cover letters, to looking up contact names and addresses for prospective employers- it's all covered in our Premier Opportunity service.  Also included in this concierge-style service, is a full legal review of all offers your receive, including compensation analysis, negotiation coaching and assistance, and a full practice evaluation profile.

The physician job search process is tedious, complicated, and when done thoroughly, can be enormously time-consuming. Not only do you likely not have enough free time to engage in this process in a way you owe it to yourself to do so, you gain enormous benefit and value in having a job search partner there along this road with you, taking the burden off your shoulders at every possible turn.

For more information on the services we offer, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or laloneill@me.com.

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So Many Agreements- What Do They All Mean?

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It's that time of year for physicians coming out of training- contract signing time. And it is definitely an exciting time! However, it can also be very stressful, as the process of reviewing and signing your next employment agreement can be complicated, time-consuming, and tenuous. One issue that often comes as a surprise to many young physicians, is that the contracting process can be very far from straightforward. In some instances, there isn't just one contract to worry about, but instead there may be two. And they can come in all different forms, and under all different names. For example, you may be offered a traditional "Employment Agreement," or perhaps an employer sends you a "Letter of Agreement;" there may be a "Recruitment Agreement" or "Relocation Agreement" involved- and what do each of these do exactly, what do they mean? Of course the true answer is completely dependent on the actual agreements you are offered, and I highly encourage you to seek your own legal counsel, as only your own attorney can provide you a professional opinion on the agreements you are offered. But here are some general guidelines to keep in mind.

First, as suggested, the name or heading at the top of a given agreement is merely that- a name or heading- it does not necessarily tell you the true nature of the agreement, or the content of the terms. Second, you may be offered one agreement that references another, and the two seem to be intertwined in some ways. This is the case when an employer offers you a job via an Employment Agreement, and then there may also be a "Recruitment Agreement" that involves a separate hospital. This is a common arrangement where a private group may want to hire you to fill a need in the community, and the group needs financial assistance from a hospital to be able to afford to pay you a guaranteed salary. Be sure to read each document offered to you very carefully, and ensure you fully understand the nature of the relationship that will be established. Make sure that if any external documents are referenced in the agreement(s) offered to you, you obtain copies of and carefully review, all of the referenced external documents. It cannot be overstated, especially in instances where multiple parties are involved, such as in recruitment arrangements, seeking independent counsel is crucial, as they stakes can be very high, and the only person truly looking out for your best interests is you.

For more information on physician employment contract review assistance, please contact Leigh Ann at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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Physician Licensing Resource: Check it Out

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In follow-up to my recent post, Licensing Time is Here!, I wanted to pass along a great resource published by the team at Adventures in Medicine: their Directory of State Licensing Boards for MDs and DOs.  This publication is a great one-stop shop for physicians who will be moving to a different state to begin a new job and need to apply for their new state license. The licensing process can be lengthy, tedious, and confusing. So having a good starting place, allowing you to easily access the required documentation, is a huge help. Thanks Adventures in Medicine for sharing this great tool!

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Physician Job Searching: Licensing Time Is Here!

If you're in your last year of training in residency or fellowship, and you'll be starting your first job this summer, it's time to get started on your licensing application for the state in which you'll begin your practice. Yes, the end of most training programs is still 6 or 7 months away, and maybe you're not starting your job until August or even later, but the various state's Boards of Medical Examiners may not be on the fast track pace you might hope for. In some states, just the processing time alone can take up to 4 months or more. This amount of time doesn't account for the additional lead time you need for gathering up all of the necessary documentation you'll be required to submit, or have submitted, to your state's Medical Board. For example, most states require items such as the following:

1. Your USMLE or NBME, FLEX, or SPEX transcripts (Go to the Federation of State Medical Boards website for more info on your transcript);
2. Your medical school transcript;
3. Verification from all post-medical school training programs;
4. Letters of good moral character from other physician colleagues;
5. Documentation of your licensure in any other state you have been licensed.

…..and other items too, depending on the specific state- all states applications are different, and you must check with the Board of Medical examiners in your state to understand their specific process. There will also, of course, be a full application you must complete and submit to your state's Medical Board.

In addition to applying for your new state license, you may also need to apply for your own personal Federal Drug Enforcement Agency number if you have been using an institutional DEA number which is common through certain training programs. Visit the DEA website for application information.

Finally, don't forget about state controlled substances registrations which some states require in addition to your Federal DEA number.

Happy applying!

Physician Job Searching: Should I Work With a Recruiter?

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Many physicians who are in training receive countless emails and phone calls from physician recruiters, letting them know about job openings that are available, and advertising the services the recruiter offers. Having a recruiter work for you can be a great match in certain instances, as they are able to streamline the job search process, and in most cases, come to you with actual job openings right from the get-go. So why would a physician not want to work with a recruiter?

Depending on where you would like to practice, many physicians will benefit from working with a recruiter. For instance, if you are interested in working in a more rural community, or anywhere that may generally pose more of a challenge from the perspective of recruiting physicians, working with a recruiter might be the right thing for you. Recruiters are hired by or employed by health systems or other employers who are trying to fill an open position. The employer then pays a fee to the recruiter who is able to find a match for the job opening.

On the flip side of this coin are the jobs that are not difficult to fill, and are highly or even only somewhat competitive. This could be due to their geographic location, reputation of the employer, or other general popularity of the job. If you anticipate desiring a job that will meet these criteria, working with a recruiter may not be for you.

I have actually worked with clients who have been told by employers that if they plan to apply for a specific job, they must not allow a recruiter to contact the employer on their behalf. In many cases, doing so will obligate the employer to pay a fee to the recruiter. In situations where a job is more easily filled, employers have no interest in, and actually refuse to, pay a recruiter's fee. If you are working with a recruiter and they contact employers on your behalf, you run the risk of actually being passed over by certain employers who will not pay a recruiter's fee. This is due to the fact that hiring a physician who is working with a recruiter will be significantly more expensive for the employer, and therefore, they will easily find a different candidate they can hire less expensively.

Before you begin working with a recruiter, carefully consider the type of job you are looking for, and be sure that working with a recruiter will be beneficial to your physician job search.

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Reference Letters: Good to Have On Tap in your Physician Job Search

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A recent article published by Adventures in Medicine reinforced the notion of being prepared in your physician job search. When you delve into this process, it often can seem fast paced with many moving parts. Being prepared up front can help make everything go more smoothly, and help you feel more in control. One thing that is helpful is having reference letters ready to go in case potential employers ask for them. While many employers choose to make a few phone calls to colleagues in order find out more about you, some will ask to see formal letters of reference. Having these letters written and ready to go can help the job search and contract negotiations process move along more quickly, and more efficiently. Check out the Adventures in Medicine article for helpful tips on how to ask for these letters, and what they should include.

For more information about physician job searching and contract review, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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Physician Contract Reviews: Check the Medical Malpractice Coverage Terms

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One of the most important aspects of a physician's employment agreement, and also one of the most frequently overlooked, is the section on medical malpractice coverage. After all, who wants to think about getting sued before they've even started a job? And if you have never been sued, to many, it seems like such an abstract idea that much attention is not often paid to the details. However, as any physician who has been sued will tell you, hardly any provision in your employment agreement is more important than this one. It's one of those things you don't really appreciate until you really need it. And then once you have needed it, you're overly appreciative if the coverage was sufficient.

So what type of coverage is "good enough"? Of course the answer to that question hinges on the specifics of the practice you will have, and sometimes, it depends on what state you're in. For instance, most physicians have heard that some med mal policies are "claims made" policies and others are "occurrence-based" policies. Claims-made policies typically cover any claims brought against the physician during the term of his or her employment. Since this type of policy only covers claims brought during employment, most physicians will want to also have provisions for a tail coverage policy to also be purchased following the end of the employment. On the other hand, occurance-based policies cover any claims brought at any time for acts or omissions occurring during the term of the employment.

Not only is the type of policy offered important, but the amounts of coverage offered are also important. Whether a coverage amount is sufficient will not only depend on the type of physician, but also, sometimes it depends on what state you're practicing in. Some states have patient compensation funds that kick in and cover some amount of the damages awarded to patients in medical malpractice suits. In those states, there are often minimum medical malpractice coverage requirements physicians must meet in order to qualify for participation in the funds. Obviously, whether your medical malpractice coverage terms are sufficient depends on many factors, not to mention how the actual language is written. So it's hugely important to have this part of your physician employment contract (and every other part of it) reviewed by your lawyer.

For more information on physician contract legal reviews, contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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Moving the Money Around: How to Make Your Physician Employment Contract Work for You

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When physicians receive an employment offer, it is common for the physician to wish for increases in certain forms of compensation, or to have additional benefits added into the employment package.  For physicians coming out of training, one very common desire is to have some amount of student loans paid off upfront.  While this may or may not be a real possibility for any given physician, depending on how in-demand he or she is, one thing to think about is creative ways to move the money around.

The employer may be offering a handsome base salary, but no signing bonus. Or the employer may be offering a signing bonus outright, with no obligation to repay the bonus under any circumstances. When looking at negotiating your physician employment contract, it is important to consider what you are willing to "give" and what you think the employer might be most interested in getting. For instance, some physician employment offers include a free-and-clear signing bonus, with no strings attached. For physicians who want to the signing bonus amount increased in order to put toward student loan repayment, sometime employers will agree to increase the amount of the bonus, in exchange for having the bonus constructed as a forgivable loan. Forgivable loans make the employers happy because they ensure the physician stays in the position for a certain length of time in order to "pay off" the signing bonus. This is merely one possible example of how money can be moved around in an agreement. Another example is adjusting the base compensation over the year downward and getting a free-and-clear signing bonus up front. The employer may be better able to offer this capital amount up front, which can help  young physicians who may have high-interest rate student loans which are better paid off as soon as possible.

For more information about a legal review of your physician employment contract and assistance with negotiating the various terms, contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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Interviewing for Physician Jobs? Be Sure to Follow Up.

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In my work I often talk to physicians who have begun their job search process, and have interviewed with multiple potential employers. One thing I love to hear from these doctors is that they're being sure to follow through with the employers once an interview is complete. Having an interview not only  gives you the opportunity to make your best first impression with a potential employer, but it also allows you the opportunity to stay at the front of the employer's mind once the interview is over. Never miss an opportunity to follow up!

When I work with clients in their job search process, I advise them that an immediate follow-up after an interview is crucial. When you're job searching, and your goal is to obtain as many quality job offers as possible, you cannot afford to let someone forget about you. After you interview with a potential employer, you should send a thank you note to everyone you talked with, preferably within a week following the interview. Thank you notes can take many different forms, and to an extent, the specifics of it will be shaped based on your own personality, but certain aspects, I believe, are non-negotiable:

1. As you would expect, always open with a sentence thanking the individual for taking the time to interview you. This will let the employer know you do not suffer from any entitlement issues, and instead, that you realize their time is as valuable as yours.
2. Try to include a sentence that relates specifically to the conversation you had with the individual- if possible, it is nice to offer a compliment about something you learned of the individual or their practice that you found to be impressive.
3. Finally, you must close with an action request. Do not simply end your note with "thanks again for meeting with me." Be sure to convey the message that you're looking forward to hearing from them soon, and if you genuinely mean it, don't be afraid to come right out and say that you would be thrilled to have the opportunity to work with them.

While thank you notes seem basic, and perhaps very elementary, their value cannot be overstated. Especially when sent in the form of a handwritten note, employers are impressed you took the time and energy to send the note, and chances are, the note will sit on their desk for a few days- bringing you to the front of their mind time and time again.

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Physician Job Searching: What to Expect if You're Going Private

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As physicians finish up their training and begin looking for their first job, or as practicing physicians decide to make a career change, the employment possibilities can seem not only endless and intimidating, but also confusing. In the rapidly changing world of physician entities and employment arrangements, it seems there is no shortage of unique practices that are more and more owned by or affiliated with a hospital system. While an increasing number of private (and I use that term in this blog to merely mean non-hospital owned) groups are purchased by large hospital systems, some groups that started from the ground up have managed to proudly remain standing on their own. For physicians who join such private groups, the pros and cons are many, and often balance themselves out in many ways. Where groups owned by large hospital systems do not benefit from holding onto 100% of the revenue they churn up, they often have streamlined operations, with strong compliance and billing support, a robust EMR, and strong payor and referral relationships, leaving less day-to-day worries for the physicians and administrators.

On the other hand, the smaller private groups that have remained standing on their own tend to be leaner and have a much more focused view on running their practice with a business-minded approach. While they may not benefit from the operations support that a hospital-owned practice may enjoy, they are likely to be more efficient in specific areas, allowing them to take full benefit from their revenue and reinvest that revenue where available and appropriate. In these types of practices, physicians are often given the opportunity to "buy in" to the various different entities that may be affiliated with the private group, such as ambulatory surgery centers ("ASCs"), research entities, etc. When a physician is able to buy into such entities they obviously then reap the reward of the revenue coming into those entities from various different sources- a benefit often not enjoyed by physicians employed by hospital-owned groups. Additionally, physician employees and partners of private groups almost always have more leeway when it comes to the ability to adjust their practice and day-to-day operating procedures in a way that best suits their style and needs; whereas, physicians employed by large hospital systems typically have a harder time getting meaningful changes to take place in a timely fashion.

If you're beginning your physician job search and are interested in exploring private practice opportunities, be sure to flesh out the various issues that have the potential to impact your well-being down the road. While younger physicians are likely to begin as an employee of a private group, eventual partnership is very common and somewhat expected, and before you invest your first couple years as an employee, you will want to make sure you know exactly what you're walking into.

For more information about different employment and partnership structures, and how your physician job search can be tailored to meet your specific needs, call Leigh Ann at 317-989-4833 or email at loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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Pay-for-Performance: Physicians, Hold on to What Brought You to Medicine

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When physicians are fresh out of medical school, they are often full of the ideals we would all love them to hold onto throughout their practicing years. Young physicians are working to reach the point where they are in a position to take care of their patients, and to improve the quality of care their patients receive. Typically, young physicians have not been faced with the annoyance of bureaucracies many employers impose, and they have not yet had to deal with the implications of costs, compensation, and overhead. Therefore, their focus remains on the patient, and the provision of the best quality care possible.

Holding onto these ideals will serve physicians well as they enter their practicing years, whether they become employed by a hospital system or join a private group practice. As we all know, health care reimbursement is rapidly changing on many fronts. Not only are physician reimbursement rates going down in many instances, new incentive programs are also springing up that allow for physician payment to be directly tied to quality of care. For instance, physicians can participate in Accountable Care Organizations ("ACOs") which are paid a percentage of the amount of money they save the Medicare program. Additionally, bundled payment programs are becoming more prevalent. Bundled payment programs set a flat rate fee for a particular procedure a patient may undergo. In both types of arrangements, physicians are obviously financially incentivized to save money and provide care more efficiently. In other words, going back to the ideals taught and widely held in medical school, focusing on the quality of care provided to patients is becoming more and more tied to the compensation physicians can expect to see in the future. As I type this sentence it even seems silly in how obvious that statement may seem; however, there is a very strong history in American health care of physicians being paid on the basis of the services they provide, rather than being paid based on how well they provide those services.

Due to the inevitable evolution into pay-for-performance health care reimbursement, it seems to me that young physicians are well-served in holding onto the ideals that drew them into medicine in the first place. Keeping this frame of mind will serve physicians particularly well as they go into their job search process and negotiate their employment contracts. Employers love to work with physicians who acknowledge that this is where health care reimbursement is heading, and that the physician is amenable to participating in the structures that are becoming more prevalent.

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NPs and PAs: Check out our Guest Post at Midlevel U!

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Thanks to Erin Tolbert for inviting us to guest post on her website, Midlevel U! We provided an article we hope will be helpful to mid-level practitioners, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Midlevel U is packed full of great content and resources for health care providers- check out their archive of blog articles, job bank, and other helpful tools for nurse practitioners and physician assistants. And enjoy!

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@MGMA Publishes 2013 Physician Compensation & Production Survey

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Every year the Medical Group Management Association ("MGMA") publishes its annual Physician Compensation and Production Survey. The data contained in this survey is widely used by physician groups and employers in setting compensation, from minimum salary guarantees to bonus and production metrics. Access to the MGMA survey is crucial to physicians who are job searching and who are reviewing their job offers, because knowing market compensation standards can give you the leverage you need to negotiate compensation that is on target for your practice and specialty.

For more information about the MGMA compensation survey and how this information can be beneficial in your contract negotiations, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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@Adventuresinmed Publishes 2013-2014 Guidebook

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Adventures in Medicine is a company that focuses on providing medical residents with the tools and resources they need to transition smoothly from training to practice.  Each year AIM publishes its annual "Guidebook" that is full of content that is useful and engaging for residents transitioning out of training. The 2013-2014 AIM Guidebook has just been published!  Click here to read more about what AIM does and to check out the new guidebook. See page 213 for the Lauth O'Neill Physician Agency feature.

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Is a Legal Review of your Physician Employment Contract Worth the Cost?

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The answer to this question may, in some cases, depend on the particular circumstances at hand, but in all cases, a physician attorney can provide you with a strong array of value when they review your employment agreement.  For instance, most physician employment agreements are drafted by lawyers, not by a physician. This means that the agreement is likely to be full of terms of art and legal language, all of which can have special meaning, beyond the basic reading of the words. In fact, the language of physician employment contracts often contain terms and phrases that have special meaning not to just any lawyer, but specifically health care lawyers trained in the area of physician contracts. In many cases a lawyer who focuses on contract law in general will not have the background or expertise to advise a physician client accurately with respect to a physician employment agreement. In other words, a health care lawyer is best-suited to translate the legal terms in your employment agreement and help explain any parts of the agreement that may be unclear.

Additionally, a lawyer with physician employment contract law expertise is able to suggest meaningful changes to your agreement that may benefit you in the long run in two (2) ways. First, your physician lawyer can point out harmful legal terms to which you perhaps should not agree. Second, your physician contract lawyer can also point out areas of the agreement where the potential employer may not be offering you market standards, which can result in a change to the agreement that is favorable to you. This would include changes to benefits, compensation, and working condition specifics.

If you are curious about the value that can be added by a physician attorney, please contact us at 317-989-4833 or visit our website at www.lauthoneill.com.

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Physician Employment Contracts: What Really is in the Contract?

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One of the things we often hear in law school is that the terms of an agreement are dictated by the "four corners" of the contract. In other words, only what is literally contained within the four corners of the pages of a contract are included in the actual binding agreement. To many clients I work with, this news is somewhat surprising. In many cases, clients have been working with potential employers for months, going over the details of their physician employment contract, only to finally get a copy of the actual agreement and find that everything discussed has not been included.

This can be a very frustrating part of the contract negotiation process. By the time an agreement comes around, physicians are often very excited to be done with the process, and want to sign the agreement and be done with it. I always caution physicians to not be hasty in signing their employment agreements, and instead, be completely confident that any term they cannot live without is in writing, as part of the agreement. This can mean bonus compensation, special equipment or support staff promised, or even your family's health insurance benefits. If it's not set out in the agreement, the employer has no obligation to provide you with it.

Likewise, I often talk with physicians who have requirements in their contract they may not be readily willing to adhere to. For instance, the possibility of traveling to any office location the employer maintains. Often the employer will assure the physician employee that such language is merely standard, and they won't be required to actually follow through with many of these requirements. This may be true in some cases, but as long as the terms are included in the agreement, the employer will be in a position to enforce these duties and responsibilities.

Therefore, it is very important that physicians have a thorough understanding of what their employment agreements are offering them, and what they're requiring them to do. Only then can the physician make a truly informed decision in accepting an employment agreement.

For more information on physician contract review and negotiation issues, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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Physician Contract Review Tip: Termination Language and Finding the Sweet Spot

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When you go to negotiate your physician employment contract, finding that sweet spot on various issues can be challenging, and especially when you consider contract termination language found in your agreement. The termination provisions in your contract can end up being the most crucial, and often times are drafted quite unfavorably to the physician employee. For instance, is there a non-compete covenant and will it apply to you even if the contract terminates because of something that was outside  your control? What about a "without-cause" termination provision? Is there one, and is the time period provided the right length for you? Additionally, consider instances where there may be a pay-back provision; requiring that you return some or all of your signing bonus or salary if you terminate the physician employment contract before a certain date?

All of these scenarios are commonly found in physician employment contracts, and they can often be negotiated to be made more favorable to the employee. But is it really a good idea to start off your new employment relationship by trying to adjust the terms of your contract that will allow you to end it more easily? On the other hand, accepting unfavorable termination provisions from the get-go can be detrimental down the road. It's certainly a delicate balance, and a negotiation topic that must be carefully considered and artfully approached.

For more information about physician contract reviews and how a physician agent and attorney can add value in this crucial process, please contact Leigh Ann O'Neill at 317-989-4833 or loneill@lauthoneill.com.

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