Is this Legal?

[Madden007]

I accepeted a position to cover the after hours and weekend CL service by phone for a nearby hospital.. I am only expected to come in for emergency consults in the ED which rarely happens. I also have an appointment at a different hospital across the street. I am considering moonlighting at the hospital hospital across the street during hours that I am also covering the CL service as my colleagues will cover me. Clinically, I don't anticipate any issues with this arrangement. I wonder if this arrangement puts be in some legal bind.

I don't want to end up on the front page of my local paper during some slow news cycle or lose my license. The question essentially is: this: can I legally work at two locations at the same time?

Thoughts?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[nexus73]

I’m pretty sure EMTALA has some rules about the on call pool of doctors covering an ED. I don’t remember how limiting it was for being on call multiple places. I’m sure the hospitals your working at have clear policies about this. I think it’s fairly common for other specialties especially for ortho and neuro surgeries because they really want to get called because then they make a lot of money. Versus psych where we usually rather just get the on call pay and never get called in because the money isn’t worth it. So this didn’t really answer your question but basically I think you need to ask some one in med staff services (the people who do the credentialing) as they usually know all these policy details.

 

[Jules A]

I take call, no onsite requirement, for multiple hospitals. Never had a problem. This is old but appears to support:

Simultaneous on-call