As those impacted by turmoil at NES Health continue to seek solutions and stability, ACEP calls on hospitals and employers to strengthen on-the-job protections for emergency physicians.
In a letter to hospital executives, group leaders and emergency department directors associated with NES Health, ACEP said:
At the first signs of trouble, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) committed to helping impacted physicians navigate concerns and find a way forward that works best for them. ACEP strongly urges hospitals and employers to do the same.
Many emergency physicians have worked without pay for months yet still report for their shifts to make sure that patients get the care they need. However, this strong sense of duty has a practical limit. The expectation that emergency physicians would continue to treat patients absent contracted benefits and protections is unreasonable.
Allowing these circumstances to unfold across the country creates avoidable risks and permits working conditions that put careers and lives on the line.
ACEP firmly believes that hospitals and physician employers must work to fill coverage gaps and provide reasonable and continuous pay and benefits for those managing the front lines of our nation’s health care safety net.
ACEP firmly believes that hospitals can require uninterrupted compensation and benefits, including malpractice insurance coverage, as a minimum standard for labor contracts. Discussions with policymakers are ongoing to explore whether legislative or regulatory changes could require continuous tail and nose malpractice insurance coverage.
As the letter said, “it is unconscionable that NES Health would force the emergency physicians it employs to shoulder the burden of its missteps.”
ACEP is ready to support those impacted by this disruption with extensive career tools and resources, including contract tips, access to legal and insurance experts, and more.
Whether its promoting transparency, providing resources to inform your career choices, or supporting you when employers fail to uphold their end of a contract, ACEP has your back and will continue the work necessary to prevent employers from putting emergency physicians in these situations to begin with.
Related:
ACEP Frontline: A Serious of Unfortunate Events – The Disaster that is the NES Story
Additional resources: contract tips, vetted job board, info on starting a democratic group, and more.
