Restrictive Agreements in Emergency Medicine Contracts

Revised and approved by the ACEP Board of Directors June 2000 and in January 2008 titled, "Restrictive Agreements in Emergency Medicine Contracts"
Originally approved by the ACEP Board of Directors titled, "Agreements Restricting the Practice of Emergency Medicine" July 1995 

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) discourages any agreement that restricts the right of a physician to practice medicine for a specified period of time or in a specified area on termination of employment or a partnership or corporate agreement. Such restrictive agreements are not in the public interest.

Emergency physicians have certain rights and responsibilities with regard to contractual relationships in the practice of medicine. These rights and responsibilities are delineated in the ACEP policy statement entitled Emergency Physician Rights and Responsibilities.¹ 

1. American College of Emergency Physicians. Emergency physician rights and responsibilities [policy statement]. Approved July 2001. Ann Emerg Med. 2001; 38:714-716.