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ENJOY PRACTICING MEDICINE AGAIN! I MS Join the premier provider of Hospitalist and Post-Acute Care Physician services. IMS-Inpatient Medical Services is currently seeking BC/BE internists and physician extenders (PA's and CNP's) interested in hospital or SNF acute care. Full, PT or PRN opportunities are available throughout Northeast Ohio. IMS offers ✔ Top compensation package including full benefits and incentive bonuses ✔ Excellent work/life balance ✔ Leadership opportunities as IMS expands across the Midwest IMS built its reputation for clinical excellence through long-term partnerships with Mercy Medical Center, Canton Robinson Memorial Hospital, Ravenna Salem Regional Medical Center, Salem Summa Akron City Hospital Summa St. Thomas Hospital, Akron and Post-Acute Care Facilities in Akron, Canton, Ravenna and Youngstown For more information, contact Tina Hull, Director of Recruitment IMS - Inpatient Medical Services 330.576.0500 thull@imshospitalist.com www.imshospitalist.com D URING EVERY BUSINESS day, there are a plethora of things that are given to physicians to sign … prescriptions, orders, record verifications, contracts, and on and on. In your busy world, do you really have time to read what you're signing? If you don't exert the effort to read before you sign, you may be in for some rude awakenings, particularly in contractual matters. According to a recent AMA Insurance survey, 59 percent of US physicians are now working as employees outside of their own practice. It's important to not only read what an Employment Contract says, but to understand it too. Contracts typically have termination clauses that are for specific causes. In addition, however, many contain a "without cause" termination provision that states after a notice period, either party may terminate. So, if you think you have a contract for a period of years, it may be that the fixed term of the agreement is not really ironclad. Employment Contracts and other agreements also typically have "confi- dentiality clauses". This doesn't mean, however, that you cannot share the agreements with your advisors. Your legal counsel should review and approve all important contracts and your accountant should advise you on the financial terms you are agreeing to. Also important is your thorough understanding of non- competition and non-solicitation clauses if your agreement is terminated by you or your employer. Third Party Payer contracts can also include provisions that may be unsat- isfactory to you. What happens if you become disabled or take extended time off and decide to hire a locum tenens to cover your practice? Is the locum physician required to be credentialed in order for you to bill for their services or will the Payer permit billing under your name and NPI? If a contract doesn't specify, you would need to contact your Payer Representative so that you don't miss out on claim payments. What are the termination provisions in each of your Payer contracts? Can they terminate you without cause? Are you contracting for all products or just some? In short, don't rubber-stamp what you sign. Even if there are provisions that you don't like that are non-changeable, if you at least understand them, you can protect yourself from unintentionally violating the Agreement. Diane Burge is a CPA and Principal of Weidrick Livesay & Company in Akron, OH. ■ By Diane M. Burge, CPA SIGN READ before You 2 0 1 4 N OV E M B E R / D E C E M B E R ■ M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Cleveland/Akron/Canton | 3 5