Everyone knows that patient records are confidential. What you may not realize is that confidentiality applies not only to nosy relatives but even to you, the patient’s physician. If you leave the hospital or practice where you saw that patient, you can’t take his or her records with you orRead More

You’ve received a copy of your new contract, and you’re eager to sign. You plan to stay with the practice a few years until you’re established in the community, then strike out on your own. Unfortunately, you may not be able to hang out a shingle, at least in thatRead More

Consider the job candidate who showed up in a rural community in a suit and tie even though he was told dress would be casual. Before a word was spoken, there was already a red flag. “The employer worried that this candidate would never fit in because there’s no Nordstrom’sRead More

When you take a new position at a hospital or medical group, your employer typically covers malpractice insurance. It’s easy to assume that if and when you leave, your employer will continue cover you for a malpractice claim related to events that took place while you were employed. But that’sRead More

You’ve recently joined a medical group with 10 physicians. The contract noted that call coverage would be “equally” split among the group, which is fine by you. You’ve done the math, and that translates into three to four days per month. But once you start, you find out that theRead More

About to start at a new practice? While you have every intention of staying two or three years, which is the standard life of a contract, all good things must come to an end. Perhaps the thorniest issue you will encounter in signing contracts is the “non-compete clause” that mayRead More

You had three job offers, but you were hooked by the rural hospital that dangled the $50,000 signing bonus. Given the size of the bonus, you had no problem signing a three-year contract. But a year later, you’re missing the city, and an urban hospital is interested. You’d like toRead More

When entering into a new contract with a hospital or medical group, most people hope to stay for two or three years—or beyond. But life holds plenty of surprises, and you may need to leave earlier than you planned. Before you sign the contract, make sure the terms for yourRead More