The contract provisions that quietly cost you.

Compensation model not specified

Psychiatry models vary widely: salary, hourly, per-encounter, wRVU, or hybrid. If the contract is ambiguous, the model can shift at renewal — a guaranteed base silently converting to volume-based pay is the classic pattern.

No-show and cancellation policy missing

Outpatient psychiatry no-show rates run 15–25%. If the contract pays only on completed encounters with no compensation for no-shows or cancellations, your effective hourly rate can be 20–30% below quoted.

Claims-made malpractice, no tail commitment

Silence leaves who pays unresolved. Ask for employer-paid tail in writing for resignation, termination and nonrenewal; confirm the policy terms.

wRVU rate with no named benchmark

A flat dollar-per-wRVU rate with no reference to 2025 national psychiatry benchmarks ($68–$92/wRVU range) gives the employer full discretion to call any rate market.

Termination without cause under 90 days

Outpatient psychiatry credentialing and patient transition require time. A 30- or 60-day without-cause window leaves no time to credential elsewhere, transition therapy patients, or negotiate the next contract.

Telepsych compensation parity not addressed

Telepsychiatry now accounts for 30–50% of outpatient psych volume in many systems. If telepsych encounters are paid at a different rate than in-person, or the differential is unspecified, your income can drop materially when the schedule shifts.

Therapy vs medication management split undefined

A psychiatrist doing 30-minute med-management visits generates very different RVUs than one doing 50-minute therapy. The contract should specify the expected visit type mix, or pay flat hourly to avoid this trap.

Panel size with no cap or productivity adjustment

Open panels in psychiatry mean increasing message volume, refill load, and out-of-visit work over time. Require a cap or per-patient-above-threshold payment.