Highlights from PAMED’s Board of Trustees Meeting Include Restrictive Covenants and MOC

Last Updated: Feb 4, 2021

The Pennsylvania Medical Society Board of Trustees (PAMED BOT) met virtually on Feb. 3, 2021. Here is a brief recap:

• New Trustee Appointment – Dillenia Rosica, MD, was appointed to the Board of Trustees as the Fourth District Trustee.
  
  
• Maintenance of Certification – The PAMED Board voted in favor of issuing a public statement opposing the timed element of the longitudinal assessment.
  
  
• Legislative & Regulatory Update – David Thompson, PAMED’s Senior Director of Government Relations, gave a legislative update. Get a recap of the 2019-2020 legislative session, as well as what’s on tap for this legislative session.
  
  View a regulatory update here.
  
  
• House of Delegates (HOD) – Due to ongoing concerns with COVID-19, the PAMED Board voted to hold the Oct. 2021 HOD virtually.

• Restrictive Covenants - At its annual meeting, the 2020 HOD referred a resolution (Res. 20-405) to the PAMED Board for study. The resolution asked the PAMED Board to consider how restrictive covenants are used by independently practicing physicians, versus those practicing in a hospital or health system, and the effect they have on physician employment and patient care. Based on its findings, the resolution also asked the PAMED Board to provide guidance as to how best to approach either the abolition of all such contractual clauses or what parameters are important to include in a proposal that would be fair to all physicians equally.
  
  The Board agreed that PAMED should continue to aggressively educate legislators on how restrictive covenants can undermine the relationship between patients and their physician. PAMED will also work to advance a legislative proposal that recognizes the difficulties employed physicians face when signing employment contracts by addressing geographic reach and duration of time of a restricted covenant. At the same time, the PAMED Board felt that the interest of small independent physician practices must be equally protected. PAMED staff will work with the legislature to craft reasonable and balanced legislation.
  

• “Assistant Physicians” – At its annual meeting, the 2020 HOD referred a resolution (Res 20-408) to the PAMED Board for study. This resolution asked the Board to work with the legislature and Governor’s office to seek legislation to license assistant/associate physicians to practice in Pennsylvania under the authority of the State Boards and the supervision of a residency trained, practicing physician in underserved areas of the state. The PAMED Board voted to convene a smaller subcommittee to discuss the issue and report back at the May PAMED Board meeting.

The issues of restrictive covenants and assistant physicians are only two of the issues the 2020 HOD referred to the PAMED Board for study or decision. Earlier this year, PAMED implemented “BeHeard” – an online form where members can pro vide feedback on these resolutions prior to the Board’s discussion. Through BeHeard, the PAMED Board received nearly 60 comments from members.

What’s Next? From Friday, Feb. 5 to Friday, April 30, 2021, members can comment on the resolutions that will be discussed at PAMED’s May Board meeting, which include:

• Resolution 20-301: Hazard Pay for Frontline Workers 
• Resolution 20-404: End Exclusive Contracting 
• Resolution 20-501: Employment of Residency/Fellowship Grads During Pandemic 

To “BeHeard” on these issues and give your feedback to the PAMED Board prior to its meeting in May:

1. Go to the 2020 HOD Resolution webpage
2. Log in to the PAMED website.
3. Click on the link that says, “I’d like to provide testimony to the Board.”
4. Complete the form by April 30.

Learn more about how you can share your voice and be heard during these unprecedented times at www.pamedsoc.org/BeHeard.