Psychiatric NP Reveals $7,500 Patient Penalty Clause
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- Psychiatric nurse practitioner encounters a $7,500-per-patient penalty clause if patients follow her after leaving the practice
- Private mental health practices enforce non-solicitation and non-compete clauses that block clinicians from informing patients or continuing care elsewhere
- Patients face abrupt care disruptions without knowledge of contractual terms that treat them as proprietary assets, not autonomous individuals
Why it matters: Clinicians lose autonomy and face financial risk, while patients—especially those with serious mental illness—risk relapse or disengagement from care due to forced provider changes. The $7,500 penalty per patient shifts liability to providers but leaves owners in control.
