The ties that bind. What you should know about the operational, ethical issues of restrictive covenants

Restrictive covenants--also called noncompete clauses--in physician contracts can be a contentious issue, sometimes inspiring litigation. They pose many questions for medical practice administrators. Are restrictive covenants really necessary to protect a medical group? Are they ethical? Does their use deny medical care to patients? And how do they apply to medical practice administrators? This article reviews restrictive covenants from all these perspectives and provides a worksheet to figure your practice's protectable interests.