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BERGEN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER DOCTORS REACH 1ST
DOCTORS COUNCIL CONTRACT 
 
BERGEN COUNTY DOCTORS TO RECEIVE 6% RAISE IN 20 MONTH
CONTRACT NEGOTIATED BY DOCTORS COUNCIL

Paramus, N.J. (April 26, 2004): In their first contract negotiated by Doctors Council in the State of New Jersey, the 20 doctors employed at Bergen Regional Medical Center in Paramus will receive a 6% pay raise over 20.5 months which runs retroactively from July 1, 2003 to March 15, 2005.

"This new contract provides better medical malpractice insurance and higher salaries which will enable Bergen Regional Medical Center to recruit and retain experienced doctors," said Barry Liebowitz, M.D., President of Doctors Council.

In the past, doctors lacked "tail" malpractice insurance coverage, which meant that they were covered while at the medical center but not covered if a patient filed a malpractice claim after a doctor retired or went to work for another facility. As part of the new contract, doctors received a new medical malpractice insurance policy that prvodes "tail" insurance. The new policy extends to March 15, 2005, the last day of the new contract.

In addition, the contract provides a "bump up" clause which states that if the Medical Center hires a new doctor at a salary that is higher than that being paid to an incumbent physician with comparable experience, the incumbent physician's salary will be raised to match that of the new hire. This clause is also significant for the recuitment and retention of experienced doctors.

The contract also established two committees, a Quality and Safe Patient Committee comprised of administrative staff and doctors which will meet regularly to discuss patient care issues and a Productivity Committee.

Doctors Council, an organization of doctors, by doctors, and for doctors, is the nation's oldest and largest union of attending physicians in the United States, with over 3,700 members in the New York Metropolitan Area.  On March 1, 1999 Doctors Council affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  As part of the affiliation, Doctors Council partnered with two of SEIU's locals, the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) and the former United Salaried Physicians and Dentists (USPD) (which previously represented the doctors at Bergen Regional Medical Center) to create the National Doctors Alliance. 
 
The National Doctors Alliance has a membership of over 16,000 members nationwide. and its major functions are to address issues of common concern for doctors, and to determine the best and most efficient course of action for organizing new members here and around the country.

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