Can this agreement be signed electronically?

Yes. Under federal and most state laws an electronic signature is legally binding if the parties demonstrate intent, consent, attribution, and the record can be retained and reproduced, provided the transaction is not within an enumerated statutory exception.

Are HIPAA protections required in the contract?

Include HIPAA-compliant confidentiality and data handling provisions whenever the physician will access or transmit protected health information; ensure any e-signature vendor will execute a Business Associate Agreement when needed.

Do noncompete clauses work everywhere?

State law governs enforceability. Some states limit or void noncompetes, so tailor the clause to the applicable jurisdiction and consider reasonableness in duration and geographic scope.

Is notarization generally required?

Most employment agreements do not require notarization; however, specific exhibits or affiliated documents (e.g., deeds, powers of attorney) may. Confirm local requirements before notarizing.

How do I amend or update the agreement later?

Use a written amendment signed by both parties that references the original agreement and effective date; retain both versions and include execution metadata in your recordkeeping system.

What if a signer refuses an electronic method?

Offer a paper-signing alternative. For consumer-facing situations, obtain affirmative consent to use electronic records as required by federal ESIGN rules before proceeding electronically.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employment Agreement Between Physician and Professional Limited

Employment Agreement Between Physician and Professional Limited

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

What this Employment Agreement covers

An Employment Agreement Between Physician and Professional Limited is a written contract between a physician and a professional limited liability company or professional corporation that defines the working relationship. It typically sets out duties, schedule, compensation, benefit entitlement, term and renewal provisions, termination rights, credentialing and privileging obligations, malpractice insurance and indemnity, confidentiality and HIPAA protections, dispute resolution, and any restrictive covenants such as noncompete or nonsolicitation clauses.

Why firms use this physician employment contract

This agreement clarifies expectations, allocates clinical and financial risk, supports regulatory compliance (HIPAA, Medicare/Medicaid rules, Stark/AKS considerations), and documents payer and credentialing requirements to reduce disputes and liability exposure.

Primary users and signers

Use this agreement as the central record for employment rights, obligations, and post-termination restrictions.

Medical group owners and administrators who hire physicians for clinical practice and oversee compliance.
Employed physicians seeking clear terms for duties, compensation, benefits, and professional liability coverage.
Human resources and legal teams responsible for onboarding, credentialing, and maintaining employment records.

Representative signatory profiles

Medical Group Administrator

The administrator typically signs on behalf of the professional limited entity and is responsible for ensuring corporate authority, verifying insurance coverage, and coordinating credentialing, billing setup, and tax withholding for the physician.

Physician

The physician signs to accept the employment terms, acknowledges duty and schedule expectations, confirms licensure and DEA status, and agrees to confidentiality, malpractice reporting, and any restrictive covenants.

Core provisions to include in the agreement

A complete physician employment agreement addresses commercial, clinical, and regulatory elements so both parties understand rights and obligations.

Parties

Legal names, corporate form, and contact details for the professional limited entity and the physician; specify employer taxpayer identification number when applicable.

Term and Renewal

Define initial term, automatic renewal or extension options, notice periods for nonrenewal, and effective dates to avoid ambiguity about obligation start.

Compensation

Describe salary, productivity incentives, bonuses, benefits, payroll method, timing, and any clawback or reconciliation mechanisms tied to collections.

Duties and Schedule

Set clinical responsibilities, call coverage, administrative duties, patient panels, FTE expectations, and permitted outside professional activities.

Insurance and Indemnity

State required malpractice coverage limits, entity vs physician responsibilities for tail coverage, and indemnification terms for claims arising during employment.

Restrictive Covenants

Noncompete, nonsolicit, and confidentiality clauses with geographic scope and duration; include carve-outs and consider state enforceability differences.

Essential data fields to collect

Full legal name: As on government ID

Entity name: Corporate legal name

NPI number: National Provider Identifier

State license: License number and state

DEA number: Controlled substances registration

Taxpayer ID: SSN or EIN for payroll

Step-by-step: completing the agreement

Follow a clear sequence from document preparation through signature to ensure compliance and timely onboarding.

01

Gather documents: Collect license, DEA, NPI, CV, and insurance proof.
02

Draft terms: Populate template with negotiated compensation and duties.
03

Legal review: Have counsel review for state-specific enforceability.
04

Sign and retain: Execute signatures and save certified copy securely.

Online workflow settings for e-signing

Configure your digital workflow to ensure correct authentication, required fields, and delivery routing before sending the agreement for signature.

Template Configuration Fields	Configuration
Authentication level	Email link, SMS code, or identity verification
Required fields	Mark name, signature, date, tax ID as required
Conditional clauses	Show compensation exhibits only if applicable
Final distribution	Send signed copies to HR, physician, and legal

Technical and compliance considerations for e-submission

Ensure the platform offers tamper-evident signed PDFs, a clear audit trail with timestamps and IP addresses, and a signed records retention option to meet legal requirements.

Document formats: PDF and DOCX supported
Integrations: EHR, HRIS, and cloud storage
Security compliance: TLS and AES encryption

Typical online signing flow

An electronic signing workflow follows predictable steps from upload to a completed certificate of signature.

Upload document: Add the agreement file to the signing platform
Place fields: Insert signature, initial, and date fields
Send signer link: Email or SMS link routed to the physician
Sign and archive: Signer executes and platform saves audit trail

Typical timelines and processing expectations

Expect variable lead times for credentialing, notice and payroll processes; plan in advance to avoid coverage gaps.

Credentialing and privileging:

Allow 45–90 days for payor and hospital approvals

Notice periods:

Termination notice often 30–90 days per contract

Payroll setup:

New hire payroll and tax setup typically two pay cycles

Tax reporting:

W-2 and 1099 recipient forms due by Jan 31

Malpractice tail procurement:

Order tail coverage as required at termination timing

Common errors to avoid

Failing to confirm state noncompete enforceability before adding restrictive covenants.
Using ambiguous compensation formulas that create disputes over bonus calculations.
Neglecting credentialing documents, which delays participation in payer networks.
Overlooking HIPAA and privacy language when the agreement references patient information access.

Potential penalties and legal risks

HIPAA breach: Civil fines and corrective action

Tax penalties: Withholding/reporting failures risk IRS fines

Credentialing lapse: Payment denials or termination

Malpractice exposure: Coverage gaps increase liability

Noncompete challenge: Clause may be unenforceable in some states

Employment misclassification: Wage and hour liabilities

Real-world examples of e-signed agreements

Organizations across industries use online signing to speed execution while keeping compliant records.

Fertility Centers of Illinois — John Butler, Founder

When implementing digital signatures for clinician agreements, they streamlined execution and reduced paper handling.

Case point: HIPAA-compliant workflow enabled remote signing.
John Butler: "The airSlate SignNow team has been exceptional, responsive, the API has been great, and we're extremely happy that we chose airSlate SignNow as a company."

Martin Properties — Tim Martin, Founder

A small healthcare-adjacent practice used e-signing to simplify onboarding.

Case point: Mobile signing closed hires faster.
Tim Martin: "I can process and execute all of these documents online with 100% compliance and built-in security. Whether on mobile or working offline, I can get forms back to their necessary parties efficiently."

Comparing e-signature vendors for this agreement

Pricing and feature availability vary by vendor; the table below lists starting prices and common capabilities to consider when signing employment agreements electronically.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	Yes, 7-day trial	No	No	Yes, limited	Yes, limited
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about enforceability, e-signature validity, privacy, and post-execution access for physician employment agreements.

Need help? Contact support

Can this agreement be signed electronically?
Yes. Under federal and most state laws an electronic signature is legally binding if the parties demonstrate intent, consent, attribution, and the record can be retained and reproduced, provided the transaction is not within an enumerated statutory exception.
Are HIPAA protections required in the contract?
Include HIPAA-compliant confidentiality and data handling provisions whenever the physician will access or transmit protected health information; ensure any e-signature vendor will execute a Business Associate Agreement when needed.
Do noncompete clauses work everywhere?
State law governs enforceability. Some states limit or void noncompetes, so tailor the clause to the applicable jurisdiction and consider reasonableness in duration and geographic scope.
Is notarization generally required?
Most employment agreements do not require notarization; however, specific exhibits or affiliated documents (e.g., deeds, powers of attorney) may. Confirm local requirements before notarizing.
How do I amend or update the agreement later?
Use a written amendment signed by both parties that references the original agreement and effective date; retain both versions and include execution metadata in your recordkeeping system.
What if a signer refuses an electronic method?
Offer a paper-signing alternative. For consumer-facing situations, obtain affirmative consent to use electronic records as required by federal ESIGN rules before proceeding electronically.

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