Non compete question from a patient

[CHIOTR]

Hi there,

Non MD (I'm an OT contemplating med school) here. In the past few months both my PCP and the one the rest of my extended family see have left the local terrible corporate system to go to a seemingly much less terrible academic system. In both cases they did tell us they were leaving and where they were going before they left. I know that's generally not considered okay. We intend to follow both of them to their new home. How do I go about this without jeopardizing them for "stealing" patients? I presume systems know that patients aren't stupid and are capable of googling (but I also know all too well that systems don't actually care about patients).

Just don't want to get these wonderful docs in trouble, but want to follow them ASAP. Thank you!

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[cj_cregg]

If they were comfortable telling you where they were going then their contract probably does not prohibit them from doing so. I think you'd be fine to follow them over. I'm also not sure how exactly a previous employer's risk management/legal risk team would be able to figure out that a patient had established with a particular physician without running afoul of HIPAA, but I'm not sure how that all works.

 

[smq123]

Hi there,

Non MD (I'm an OT contemplating med school) here. In the past few months both my PCP and the one the rest of my extended family see have left the local terrible corporate system to go to a seemingly much less terrible academic system. In both cases they did tell us they were leaving and where they were going before they left. I know that's generally not considered okay. We intend to follow both of them to their new home. How do I go about this without jeopardizing them for "stealing" patients? I presume systems know that patients aren't stupid and are capable of googling (but I also know all too well that systems don't actually care about patients).

Just don't want to get these wonderful docs in trouble, but want to follow them ASAP. Thank you!

This is really kind of you to consider this.

As a patient, there is nothing that you can (or should) do to protect these doctors. Either they don't have much of a restrictive covenant, or they're sufficiently not scared enough that they feel free to tell you where they are going. But as a patient, it is absolutely your right to follow your physician if you know where they are going to go.