Emergency Physician Terminations: Doing It Right

Emergency physicians (EPs), like other specialists in medicine, can be terminated from their positions. Little has been written about the process of physician termination. It is important that this process be well thought–out and performed in a professional manner to ensure that there is no undue damage to the physician or to the institution. The institution must be aware of the effects of terminations on its ability to recruit and retain EPs. To properly terminate a physician employee, the physician manager must use the appropriate termination rationale, ensure appropriate performance evaluations, provide for remediation, understand the psychology of termination, and address the alternatives to termination prior to the termination. Indeed, the hiring process itself must address the grounds on which termination may occur. Successful terminations are performed by planning the process, reviewing the file and the contract, arranging the meeting, examining the termination process, and considering the legal implications and due process issues.