Primary care physician in Indiana are now able to utilize free labor markets to bring their talents and skills to new communities. your skills are in high demand. Family medicine, pediatric, and internal medicine doctors will no longer to forced to sign non compete agreements from an employer. In the past, hospitals and healthcare facilities required non-compete clauses in their employment contracts, restricting physicians’ ability to practice in their field of expertise. Indiana recently passed a law banning non-compete clauses in any employment contract. This is a huge boost to the profession, to patients, and to local communities.
The new law takes effect July 1, 2023. From Indiana Public Radio, “The new law still partially bans employers from putting non-compete agreements on primary care doctors, specifically defined as a physician practicing family medicine, general pediatric medicine or internal medicine.
All other specialty physicians, like neurologists, gynecologists or podiatrists, would still be allowed to be subject to a non-compete agreement after the law takes effect in July. However, those would be subject to a set of restrictions that could nullify the agreements in certain cases. The restrictions would not apply to non-competes created before the law goes into effect.”
This is a step in a positive direction for Indiana healthcare but there is still more work to do to ensure the same free movement of labor for non-primary car specialists can happen in the future.
Non-compete clauses are a contract provision that prohibits employees from working for competitors or starting their own practice in a certain geographic area for a specified period. Although these clauses are meant to protect businesses’ interests, they can significantly limit physicians’ career opportunities and restrict patient access to quality healthcare.
In recent years, the impact of non-compete clauses has become a hotly debated topic in the healthcare industry, with many experts arguing that they are anticompetitive and harmful to patients’ well-being. This sentiment is particularly true in the primary care sector, where access to care is critical and a the doctor-patient relationship is vital.
One of the most significant issues with non-compete clauses is that they prevent physicians from working in their chosen specialty within a particular geographic area. This means that patients in those areas may have limited access to qualified physicians, forcing them to seek care elsewhere or forgo treatment altogether.
Furthermore, non-compete clauses often leave physicians unable to provide continuing care for their patients. Leaving an employer means moving tens of miles away to a new area, forcing patients to travel to see you. The continuity of care is a leading factor in patient well-being.
Physicians across the country have the power to advocate for change. By speaking out against non-compete clauses, they can help ensure that patients have access to the care they need, and physicians have the freedom to practice their profession fully.
FreedomDoc, a concierge/direct pay physician network, supports the efforts of stakeholders across the United States that are looking to abolish anti-competitive agreements in medicine. At FreedomDoc, we believe the doctor-patient relationship is vital and too many of our nation’s physicians face hostile work environment at hospitals. FreedomDoc provides physicians with the resources they need to start a practice from the ground up, including business planning, legal support, practice marketing, and practice management.
If you are currently bound by a non-compete clause, we encourage you to speak with your HR manager about waiving the agreement. You have the right to advocate for your career and your patients, and abolishing non-compete clauses is a crucial step in achieving these goals.
We urge you to reach out to FreedomDoc to learn more about how they can support you in starting your own practice. Together, we can work to ensure that patients have access to quality care, and physicians have the freedom to practice medicine as they see fit. Call us today at (317) 804-1203 or email us at [email protected].