More physicians than ever are joining the ranks of hospital and health system staff – 2020 marked the first time that patient care in private practice dropped below 50%. Good news for health systems and hospitals, but it also requires these organizations to fully understand and address the challenges that employed physicians must face.
In 2022, the AMA House of Delegates updated the “AMA Principles for Physician Employment” to help physicians and employers tackle these challenges. They include:
- Addressing conflicts of interest: Employed physicians must prioritize the best interest of the patient and institutions must create an environment where they can do just that.
- Advocacy for patients and the profession: Patients must be able to trust that their physician is free to advocate for patients’ best interest.
- Contracting: There must be full transparency when it comes to employment agreements, disciplinary actions, and terminations of physicians – both with the employed physician and the patients under their care.
- Hospital-medical staff relations: Employed physicians should be able to assert their beliefs while adhering to organizational by-laws.
- Peer review and performance evaluations: Employed physicians should be subject to performance and peer reviews, using a transparent and clear process.
- Payment agreements: Employed physicians should be made aware of payment negotiations as well as actual payment amounts.
Read the full article: Follow principles in 6 key areas to protect employed physicians