The ties that bind: Considerations for employed and shareholder physician agreements

In a world of consolidation and acquisitions, verbal arrangements about physicians’ hours, duties and expectations matter a lot less than what’s written down on paper.

A personal understanding between a doctor and chief executive officer about call duties or other elements of care goes out the window when a new owner comes in, cautioned Stephen A. Dickens, JD, FACMPE, vice president of medical practice services, SVMIC, at MGMA19 | The Financial Conference in Las Vegas.

The changing landscape of ownership — along with shifting reimbursement models and a high number of physicians retiring or leaving the industry¹ — makes it vital that a medical group’s leadership have a firm understanding of the elements of contracting and compensation for both employed and shareholder physicians.