ACEP strongly supports Senate Bill 951 in Oregon, which would limit external management services organizations from exercising control over physician medical decision making and non-compete clauses in employment contracts.
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Medical decisions must be made by physicians and any practice structure that threatens physician autonomy, the patient physician relationship, or the ability of the physician to place the needs of patients over profits should be opposed. Alison Haddock, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP |
ACEP writes, these business or management decisions should only be made by a physician:
- Determining how many patients an emergency physician must see or supervise in a given period of time, how many hours an emergency physician must work, or how many hours of coverage are provided.
- Determining which patients will be seen by an emergency physician or a physician assistant/nurse practitioner or how such patients seen by a physician assistant/nurse practitioner shall be supervised by an emergency physician.
- Selection, hiring/firing (as it relates to clinical competency or proficiency) of emergency physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
- Setting the parameters under which the practice will enter into contractual relationships with third-party payers.
- Oversight of policies and procedures for revenue cycle management, including coding and billing procedures, reimbursement from insurers, and collections for patient care services.
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