Family Physicians Encouraged by Noncompete Ban
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Contact:
Julie Hirschhorn
AAFP Public Relations
jhirschhorn@aafp.org
Statement attributable to:
Steven P. Furr, MD, FAAFP
President
American Academy of Family Physicians
"The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is pleased to see the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) take concrete action to ban noncompete clauses in employee contracts. This decision puts patients first and ensures family physicians can pursue opportunities that value their expertise and continue to provide high-quality care that their communities need.
"We are also encouraged to see that the FTC intends for this ban to extend to many nonprofit entities. Nonprofit health systems often have significant financial assets and employ a large portion of physicians and clinicians. They should not be permitted to continue to restrict patient access and physician choice in employment.
"The AAFP remains committed to creating a level playing field for family physicians who work in all practice settings, including small and independent practices, who may not have the resources to recruit and retain new physicians.
"We are hopeful that the elimination of noncompete clauses will encourage employers to pursue more collaborative ways to retain physicians and become employers of choice, while preserving long-term, meaningful patient-physician relationships."
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About American Academy of Family Physicians
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 130,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the largest medical society devoted solely to primary care. Family physicians conduct approximately one in five office visits — that’s 192 million visits annually or 48 percent more than the next most visited medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care. To learn more about the specialty of family medicine and the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, visit www.aafp.org. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s consumer website, www.familydoctor.org.