WASHINGTON–The Society of Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI), the leading nonprofit medical society representing invasive and interventional cardiology, applauded the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for issuing warning letters to healthcare employers and staffing companies regarding non-compete agreements. The action taken by the FTC highlights concern that restrictive employment contracts limit physician mobility and prevent patients from receiving the timely, high-quality care they need.  

“Non-compete agreements put barriers between physicians and their patients and can force doctors to leave the communities where they practice, often unannounced, weakening long-standing doctor-patient bonds and preventing communities from receiving the high-quality care they depend on.  This also an issue of trust – patients want to know that their physicians can always be there for them, and noncompete provisions make a mockery of that trust by turning this into a purely business decision of their employer,” said Dr. Srihari S. Naidu, MD, MSCAI, president of SCAI.  

“Indeed, the doctor-patient relationship should never be dictated by employers. Our priority as a healthcare system should be ensuring every patient gets access to trusted care. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) recognizes the FTC’s review as an important step toward protecting doctors and their patients in particular from unnecessary, restrictive noncomplete agreements that limit care options, not just in rural and underserved areas but major metropolitan areas where healthcare monopolies have increasingly become the norm.” 

Cardiologists warn that non-compete agreements worsen existing healthcare disparities and jeopardize care continuity. Non-compete agreements can cause entire regions to lose access to specialists who perform life-saving procedures when physicians are forced to leave the communities where they practice.  

Lawmakers share similar concerns and are calling for urgent reform on Capitol Hill. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50) underscores the importance of addressing non-compete agreements, noting: “Non-compete agreements restrict the economic freedom of an estimated 30 million Americans. Limiting the use of non-competes in health care would provide more freedom for physicians to start independent practices, resulting in increased competition, more choice for patients, and lower prices,” 

He continued: “It is time for Congress to come together and pass a bipartisan legislative ban on non-compete agreements to support worker mobility across the health care, technology, manufacturing, and other sectors.” 

SCAI urges the FTC and Congress to act quickly to protect patients’ ability to receive the essential and life-saving care they depend on. 

Press Contacts

Gavin Stern 

[email protected], 202-644-8561 

About SCAI

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions is a professional organization representing more than 5,000 invasive and interventional cardiology professionals in approximately 75 nations. SCAI’s mission is to promote excellence in invasive/interventional cardiovascular medicine through physician education and representation, and advancement of quality standards to enhance patient care. 

For more information, visit SCAI.ORG.