"Corporate Practice of Medicine" Doctrine

The WSMA supports the clarification of the "Corporate Practice of Medicine" Doctrine in such a way as to:

1. Preserve independent clinical decision-making;
2. Provide protection to physicians who bring to light quality of care concerns arising out of an employment situation;
3. Prohibit non-compete clauses in physician-hospital employment contracts;
4. Require that hospitals and employed physicians be insured for professional negligence separately and that physicians be allowed to select their own carrier;
5. Require that medical staff and clinical privileges be considered separately from employment considerations;
6. That physicians be allowed to own hospitals and ambulatory care centers; and,
7. That closed medical staff policies be prohibited within any hospital facility in Washington State; assuming the provider meets that hospital's medical staff requirements.

(EC Rpt I, A-94) (Reaffirmed A-17)

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Abbreviations for House of Delegates report origination:

EC – Executive Committee; BT – Board of Trustees; CPA – Council on Professional Affairs; JC – Judicial Council; CHS – Community and Health Services