Establishing secure connection…Loading editor…Preparing document…

Healthcare Physician Contract

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

HEALTHCARE PHYSICIAN AGREEMENT

This Physician Agreement (the Agreement) is entered into effective as of by and between with principal address (Organization) and whose address is (Physician).

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Organization operates a clinical practice and facilities providing medical services; and WHEREAS, Physician is duly licensed and desires to provide professional medical services on the terms and conditions set forth herein. The parties agree as follows.

DEFINITIONS

For purposes of this Agreement, "Services" means clinical care within Physician's specialty and any administrative duties expressly assigned by Organization. "PHI" means Protected Health Information as defined under federal law.

TERM AND TERMINATION

Term: This Agreement commences on and continues for an initial term of months, automatically renewing for successive one-year periods unless either party gives written notice of nonrenewal at least days prior to the end of the then-current term.

Termination: Either party may terminate for cause upon written notice specifying the nature of the breach and allowing a thirty (30) day cure period, except that material breaches involving unlawful conduct, loss of license, or failure to maintain required insurance may result in immediate termination.

PHYSICIAN DUTIES; PRACTICE ARRANGEMENTS

SCHEDULE AND CALL COVERAGE

Regular schedule: . Call obligations and frequency:

COMPENSATION; BILLING; RECORDS

Billing responsibility (select all that apply):

All professional records and medical charts are the property of Organization; however Physician shall timely document all encounters and cooperate with record requests and audits. Physician will comply with Organization's medical records policies and applicable law.

INSURANCE; LICENSES; CREDENTIALING

Physician shall provide evidence of current licensure, board certifications (if applicable), and professional liability insurance prior to commencement and upon request. Physician consents to credentialing and background checks required by Organization and payers.

CONFIDENTIALITY AND HIPAA

Physician will maintain the confidentiality of PHI and will comply with all applicable privacy and security laws and Organization policies. Physician agrees to execute any additional confidentiality or business associate agreements required by Organization.

INDEMNIFICATION

Each party shall indemnify, defend and hold the other harmless from claims arising out of its own negligent acts or omissions, breach of this Agreement, or willful misconduct. This provision survives termination to the extent claims relate to acts or omissions during the term.

RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS

During the term and for a period of months following termination, Physician shall not solicit Organization's patients within a mile radius, subject to lawful limitations and applicable state law.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION; GOVERNING LAW

The parties agree to attempt good-faith negotiation of disputes. If unresolved, disputes will be submitted to binding arbitration in accordance with mutually agreed rules. Governing law for interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement shall be the laws of the state of unless otherwise prohibited by mandatory law.

NOTICES

Notices shall be sent to the addresses set forth below or to such other address as either party designates in writing.

MISCELLANEOUS

Assignment: This Agreement may not be assigned by Physician without Organization's prior written consent. Organization may assign to an affiliate or successor entity that assumes Organization's obligations under this Agreement.

Entire Agreement; Amendment: This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes prior representations. Amendments must be in writing and signed by both parties.

Severability: If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

ADDITIONAL CONTRACT TERMS

CERTIFICATIONS

By signing below, each party certifies that: (a) the signatory is authorized to execute this Agreement; (b) all information provided is true and correct; (c) Physician maintains all required licenses and certifications; and (d) each party will comply with the terms and obligations herein.

Organization Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Physician Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Enter text✕
Prepare your document for signing right on this page
  • 01 Edit the text and complete the fields
  • 02 Click Sign Now and on the next screen add recipients and signature fields in SignNow
  • 03 Start your free trial to sign and send your doc
Sign Now

What a Healthcare Physician Contract Covers

A Healthcare Physician Contract is a written agreement between a physician (individual or group) and a healthcare entity such as a hospital, clinic, or practice. It sets out scope of services, compensation, scheduling, credentialing, liability allocation, termination rights, and applicable law. These contracts govern clinical duties, on-call expectations, performance metrics, billing responsibilities, and patient-care standards, and they are routinely used for employment, independent contractor, locum tenens, and medical directorship arrangements.

Why a Clear Physician Contract Matters

A precise contract reduces disputes, clarifies compensation and duties, and protects patient safety and regulatory compliance. Well-drafted terms support credentialing, reimbursement, and operational continuity while helping both parties manage risk under healthcare-specific rules.

Why a Clear Physician Contract Matters

Who prepares and signs these agreements

Healthcare providers, hospital administrators, practice owners, and legal counsel commonly prepare or review physician contracts before execution.

  • Hospital management and contracting teams who hire or affiliate physicians and need enforceable operational terms.
  • Independent physicians and practice owners negotiating compensation, noncompete, or call coverage provisions.
  • Legal counsel and compliance officers who ensure alignment with state law, payer rules, and HIPAA requirements.

Different stakeholders focus on distinct sections — clinicians on clinical duties, administrators on compensation and billing, and counsel on liability and regulatory language.

Step-by-step: Completing the contract

Follow these steps in order to prepare, review, and execute a physician agreement accurately.

  • 01
    Collect documents: Gather licenses, DEA, CV, malpractice history and TIN information.
  • 02
    Draft terms: Define duties, compensation, benefits, and dispute resolution.
  • 03
    Legal review: Have counsel check compliance, state law, and payer requirements.
  • 04
    Execute: Obtain all signatures and required attestations or notarization.

How electronic completion typically works

An online workflow can guide parties through required fields, apply conditional clauses, capture signatures, and archive the executed contract with an audit trail.

  • Upload document: Sender uploads the agreement in PDF or DOCX format.
  • Place fields: Add signature, date, initial, and conditional fields.
  • Authenticate signers: Use email, SMS code, or stronger methods for identity assurance.
  • Store copy: Signed PDF and audit trail are retained for records.

Typical online workflow settings for completion

Configure workflow controls to match required security and operational needs before sending for signature.

Field Configuration
Authentication Method Email link | SMS code | ID verification
Signing Order Sequential or parallel routing
Conditional Clauses Show/hide fields based on answers
Audit and Retention Enable full audit trail and PDF archival

Digital signing and technical compatibility

Ensure your chosen platform supports required security, document formats, and integrations before e-signature.

  • Document formats: PDF and DOCX supported
  • Integrations: EHR, CRM, cloud storage connections
  • Compliance controls: BAA, audit trail, encryption

Core clauses to include in a physician contract

Consistent clause structure reduces ambiguity and helps in credentialing, risk management, and enforcement across jurisdictions.

Scope of Practice

Define clinical duties, permitted procedures, supervisory expectations, and limitations on practice scope to avoid role confusion.

Compensation

Detail base pay, productivity incentives, draws, billing responsibilities, and any clawback or repayment obligations.

Credentialing and Privileges

State credentialing timelines, document exchanges, suspension grounds, and processes to appeal adverse actions.

Malpractice and Insurance

Specify required limits, tail or occurrence coverage, employer vs physician responsibilities, and premium payment terms.

Noncompete and Restrictive Covenants

Describe geographic and temporal limits if enforceable in the governing state and link to applicable state law.

Termination and Remedies

Include notice periods, cause definitions, cure rights, and obligations upon termination such as final accounting or patient transition.

Security and regulatory protections to expect

Encryption: AES-256 at rest
Transport Security: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit
HIPAA Support: BAA available
Audit Trail: Detailed signing history
Regulatory Compliance: ESIGN and UETA compliant
Certifications: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001

Common timelines, reporting, and notice periods

Timelines in physician contracts affect credentialing, tax reporting, and notice obligations; align dates precisely to avoid compliance gaps.

Effective Date Entry:

Enter the MM/DD/YYYY date when obligations begin; governs rights and performance.

Termination Notice:

Typical notice periods range 30–180 days; follow contract-specified timing.

Credentialing Deadlines:

Allow 30–90 days for privileging and background checks before start.

Tax Reporting Window:

Report payments on 1099-NEC by Jan 31 to recipients and IRS.

Record Retention:

Retain executed contracts per federal and industry retention rules.

Key milestones from negotiation to active practice

Track milestone dates to ensure credentialing, privileging, and administrative tasks complete before clinical start.

01

Negotiation

Finalize essential terms and reach mutual agreement on scope and compensation.

02

Legal Review

Compliance and counsel review to identify regulatory or contractual gaps.

03

Credentialing & Privileges

Complete background checks, references, and hospital privileging before billing begins.

04

Execution and Onboarding

Signatures obtained, system access granted, and orientation completed before active service.

eSignature pricing and compliance comparison

Basic pricing and compliance features across common eSignature providers. signNow is shown first to align vendor comparison ordering.

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 7-day free trial Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan Varies by plan
Bulk Send Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Audit Trail Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
HIPAA Compliant Yes Yes Yes No No

Penalties and common legal risks to avoid

Incorrect TIN: Triggers 24% backup withholding
Late 1099 Filing: Penalties $60–$330+ per form
HIPAA Breach: Civil and potential criminal penalties
I-9 Violations: $281–$2,789 per violation
Unclear Termination: Leads to litigation and interim duty disputes
Intentional Misreporting: Significant fines, no statutory cap

Frequent preparation mistakes to watch for

  • Using vague scope language that omits essential duties or on-call obligations, which invites disputes over performance expectations.
  • Failing to align billing responsibility and collections language, causing disagreements about revenue attribution and withheld compensation.
  • Skipping HIPAA or BAA language when PHI is accessible, creating regulatory risk and potential enforcement exposure.
  • Not confirming the signer’s authority — contracts signed by personnel without delegated signing authority may be voidable.

Real-world examples of contract use and outcomes

These condensed examples show how organizations use electronic workflows and contracts to manage physician arrangements.

Fertility Centers of Illinois

The center standardized physician agreements using a secure eSignature workflow to reduce turnaround time.

  • The process preserved audit logs for compliance.
  • The result improved administrative efficiency and ensured consistent credentialing documentation across multiple clinic locations.

Optica Ventures LLC

A medical group used templated contracts for locum tenens assignments to speed placements.

  • Templates captured scope and insurance terms.
  • Faster contract completion reduced vacancy days and improved continuity of patient care during provider transitions.

Practical tips for accurate and efficient completion

Adopt consistent templates, require checklist verification, and document signature authority to reduce rework and legal exposure.

Use a contract checklist
Create a pre-signature checklist to confirm credentialing, insurance, scope, and TIN accuracy.
Standardize templates
Keep role-specific templates to reduce negotiation time and preserve preferred language.
Confirm signer authority
Verify that signers have delegated power to bind their organization before executing.
Keep change logs
Record amendments formally with dated signatures and version control.

Typical signatories and their roles

Hospital Counsel

Legal or contracting counsel for a hospital reviews terms for regulatory risk, credentialing alignment, and institutional liability controls before authorizing signature.

Physician / Owner

The physician or practice owner confirms clinical duties, compensation, and professional liability provisions and provides identifying information and TIN for tax reporting.

Common questions about Healthcare Physician Contracts

Answers to frequent legal and operational questions about signing, notarization, recordkeeping, and eSignature validity.


Need help? Contact support

be ready to get more
Join over 28 million airSlate SignNow users
Sign Now
Company
Forms
Pricing
Resources
Knowledge base
Other Products
© 2026 airSlate Inc. All rights reserved.