Wiki Sample Contracts between Doctor and Coder

[atanag@gmail.com]

Hello, I am planning to code for a private doctor, does anyone have a sample of the contract that I can see or where to find one? I would want to include something about privacy, HIPAA, pay rate, confidentiality, etc. Please help asap. Thank you.

 

[mitchellde]

I think you should seek out an attorney to write up your contract. A contract is a sticky thing and really should have someone skilled in the art of contracts and legalities, in my opinion.

 

[Pam Warren]

I don't have such a contract, but I would recommend you hire an attorney to craft a contract for you. You're going to be dealing with HIPAA and patient protected information, federal dollars, provider income and your own interests (salary, non-compete, contract parameters, etc.), not to mention you're contracting with a physician who isn't employing or protecting you, so don't take a chance with a canned document that may not cover all the bases for your interests. A single lawsuit based on an honest mistake, a software glitch or even an unintended breach could impact your personal and financial life. This is not easy work, and the list of things that can go wrong with an informal agreement or a poorly written contract could be disasterous. Also, you'll also need a BAA. A few hundred dollars for a contract is a better business decision than a six figure lawsuit.

 

[thomas7331]

I agree on all counts - contracting is absolutely not a process that should be rushed. Even if you're able to find or copy an existing contract to use, it's still important to sit down with an attorney and review it to make sure you understand all the implications of what you're agreeing to. I've seen things go badly for people a couple of times when they didn't do this, and it can be extremely costly to extricate yourself from a problem after the fact if you haven't put the necessary protections in place. No one like to pay legal fees, but this is a situation where they are a very worthwhile investment.