Collaborating Physician questions

YoutubeTheNP · Aug 4, 2016

I have three jobs, all of them have different collaborating Docs. The only thing I do when I write my RX is I hand right on the bottom of each script which doc is my attending depending where I'm working since I have multiple docs. There is no problem at all having more then one.

WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN · Aug 4, 2016

That is a great question. I suspected the answer but now I pose another, related one:

with more than one job how do you manage the malpractice insurance?

For example, I am planning on working for an organization that has offered (in the past, I'll need a new 'formal' offer extended due to time lapsed) to cover CME, associated professional fees including DEA, malpractice insurance and something else I'm forgetting. However, my last preceptor has asked me to pick up some time with him but as an independent contractor.

So, does my coverage with the organization cover me completely or only as an NP in their employ? I hesitate to be an independent contractor right now as I am brand spankin' new, and there are a lot of up front expenses that would be better for me to be with a larger entity willing to pay for that.

I hope my question is not lost in my wordiness. But these are things I'm thinking about as the time approaches to make a choice.

YoutubeTheNP · Aug 4, 2016

I get your question. Simple answer is you need separate malpractice for every job you have. Think about it, why would your insurance from job A protect you from something you do on job B. Especially if company A is paying for it. Right? For each job my employer pays for separate malpractice policies. You only need one DEA which covers you as a provider it is not job dependent. DEA is expensive too but my employer gives me 2500$ yr for business related expenses. My third part time job is independent contractor status, you will learn to love that as you can make lots of 'business' deductions

SnowShoeRN · Aug 5, 2016

I get your question. Simple answer is you need separate malpractice for every job you have...For each job my employer pays for separate malpractice policies.

Is this the case though if you get your own malpractice insurance through the NSO for example? My malpractice is through my employer since it's a government agency, but if I wanted to work at 2 other facilities would it be enough to have 1 policy through the NSO or are you saying you would need 1 policy for each place you work regardless of whether your employer covered it? Does that question make sense?

I'm a relatively new NP looking to take on some part time work so I appreciate this thread.

Trauma Columnist · Aug 5, 2016

I'm in IL - if you work for a private practice, you need a collaborative agreement with that physician and if there is more than one physician in that practice, there needs to be a clause that states that all physicians in the practice are covered under the collaborative agreement.

If you work for a hospital system, you do not require a collaborative agreement.

YoutubeTheNP · Aug 5, 2016

I've never paid for insurance through the NSO. That's probably something you would have to look on their website for or inquire. I can't help you on that perspective. Usually you have to state your business practice location on these things, so if you have multiple locations and multiple supervising doctors it may get tricky trying to fit it under one umbrella policy.