Tomorrow morning, Kelly Johnson, MD, FACEP, President of the South Carolina College of Emergency Physicians will testify in strong support of a bill to ban non-compete agreements for physicians in the state.
SCCEP will alert the legislature that non-compete agreements hinder emergency physicians from practicing in their preferred communities and worsen physician shortages.
“As South Carolina is working to attract and retain physicians to the state in order to increase access to high quality healthcare to citizens throughout the state, such non-compete contracts are in direct conflict with that goal. SCCEP supports the freedom of physicians to practice and live in the geographic area of their choice and therefore supports H 4767,” a letter to the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry (LCI) Committee states.
State Rep. Sylleste Davis is the co-sponsor of this bill, “Physician Non-compete Contract Prohibition” (H 4767). SSCEP is working closely with the South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) to protect emergency physician autonomy.
Separately, Rep. Davis, a champion of emergency physician-led care, was the lead sponsor of the new SCCEP-backed state law that requires a physician onsite in the emergency department.
Watch the testimony here on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. EST.
