Bill > S673

This bill introduces comprehensive protections for health care professionals in North Carolina, focusing on three main areas: consumer protection, whistleblower rights, and limitations on employment agreements. First, the bill modifies existing consumer protection laws to clarify that the "learned profession exception" for health care providers only applies to direct medical care activities subject to specific litigation. Second, it establishes robust whistleblower protections for health care professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, and nurses, by prohibiting adverse actions such as privilege withdrawal, termination, demotion, or creating a hostile work environment when these professionals report violations of medical staff bylaws or make comments about patient care. Third, the bill restricts nondisclosure agreements and non-compete clauses for health care professionals, ensuring they can report safety concerns, ethical violations, and illegal activities without fear of retaliation, and prohibiting employment contracts from containing non-compete clauses for hospital-employed health care professionals. Additionally, the bill requires that any policies or agreements cannot prevent health care professionals from providing practice information upon patient request. The North Carolina Board of Medicine is authorized to adopt rules implementing these provisions, which will become effective immediately upon becoming law and will apply to new and existing contracts.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S673