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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.1

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into as of
May 12 , 1999, by and between Walter J. Fritschner, an individual resident of
the State of Texas ("Employee"), and Horizon Medical Products, Inc., a Georgia
corporation (the "Employer").

                              W I T N E S S E T H:

         WHEREAS, Employer desires to employ Employee and Employee desires to
be employed by Employer, on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
promises and agreements contained herein, the parties hereto, intending to be
legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

         SECTION 1         EMPLOYMENT.

         Subject to the terms hereof, the Employer hereby employs Employee, and
Employee hereby accepts such employment. Employee will serve as Senior Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of Employer. Employee agrees to devote
his full business time and best efforts to the performance of the duties that
the Board of Directors of Employer (the "Board of Directors") or the Chief
Executive Officer of Employer may assign Employee from time to time, which
duties will be consistent with Employee's position and title.

         SECTION 2         TERM OF EMPLOYMENT.

         The term of Employee's employment hereunder (the "Term") shall be from
May 12, 1999 (the "Effective Date") until termination upon the occurrence of
any of the following events, provided that the Term shall expire on May 12,
2004 if not previously terminated:

                  (I)      The death or total disability of Employee (total
                           disability meaning the failure to fully perform his
                           normal required services hereunder for a period of
                           five (5) consecutive months during the Term hereof,
                           as determined by the Board of Directors, by reason
                           of mental or physical disability);

                  (II)     The termination by Employer of Employee's employment
                           hereunder, upon prior written notice to Employee,
                           for "good cause". For purposes of this Agreement,
                           "good cause" for termination of Employee's
                           employment shall exist (A) if Employee is convicted
                           of, pleads guilty to, or confesses to any felony or
                           any act of fraud, misappropriation, or embezzlement,
                           (B) if Employee has engaged in a dishonest act to
                           the material damage or prejudice of Employer or an
                           affiliate of Employer, or in misconduct or unlawful
                           or improper activities materially damaging to the
                           business of Employer or an affiliate of Employer, or
                           (C) if Employee fails to comply with the terms of
                           this Agreement, and, within thirty (30) days after
                           written notice from Employer of such failure,
                           Employee has not corrected such failure or, having
                           once
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                           received such notice of failure and having so
                           corrected such failure, Employee at any time
                           thereafter again so fails, provided, that Employee
                           will be given the opportunity to explain his
                           position in the matter at a meeting of the Board of
                           Directors of Employer prior to any termination under
                           this clause (C), or (D) if Employee wilfully
                           neglects or breaches his duties or engages in
                           intentional misconduct in discharging his duties as
                           an officer and employee of the Employer, or (E) if
                           Employee fails to meet the quarterly or annual
                           management business objectives specifically for
                           Employee that are mutually agreed to by the Chief
                           Executive Officer of Employer and Employee and such
                           failure has an adverse effect on Employer or its
                           stock price;

                  (III)    The termination of this Agreement by Employee upon
                           at least ninety (90) days prior written notice;

                  (IV)     The termination of this Agreement by Employer
                           without cause upon at least thirty (30) days prior
                           written notice; or

                  (V)      The termination of this Agreement by mutual written
                           agreement of Employer and Employee.

         SECTION 3         COMPENSATION.

                  3.1 TERM OF EMPLOYMENT. Employer will provide Employee with
the following salary, expense reimbursement, and additional employee benefits
during the term of employment hereunder:

                  (A)      SALARY. Employee will be paid a salary (the
                           "Salary") of no less than One Hundred Eighty Three
                           Thousand Two Hundred Sixty Dollars ($183,260.00) per
                           annum, less deductions and withholdings required by
                           applicable law. The Salary shall be paid to Employee
                           in equal monthly installments (or on such more
                           frequent basis as other executives of Employer are
                           compensated). The Salary shall be reviewed by the
                           Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee of
                           the Board of Directors (the "Compensation
                           Committee") of Employer on at least an annual basis,
                           but shall not be below $183,260.00.

                  (B)      BONUS. Employee will be entitled to an annual bonus
                           for 1999 (the "Bonus") equal to (i) thirty-five
                           percent (35%) of his Salary, based upon the
                           achievement during 1999 by the Employer of net
                           income per share-basic in excess of fifty cents (50
                           cents) per share, or (ii) twenty percent (20%) of
                           his Salary, based upon the achievement during 1999
                           by the Employer of net income per share-basic in
                           excess of forty-five cents (45 cents) per share but
                           not greater than fifty cents (50 cents) per share,
                           or (iii) ten percent (10%) of his Salary, based upon
                           the achievement during 1999 by Employer of net
                           income per


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                           share-basic of forty-three cents (43 cents) per
                           share or more but not greater than forty-five cents
                           (45 cents) per share. For each calendar year during
                           the Term after 1999, Employee will be entitled to
                           earn an annual bonus, based upon 35%, 20%, or 10% of
                           the Salary, if Employer achieves for the calendar
                           year the earnings per share goals for each such
                           percentage that are established by the Board of
                           Directors or the Compensation Committee of the Board
                           of Directors of Employer. Any Bonus earned shall be
                           paid promptly upon the availability of annual
                           financial results for the previous calendar year
                           (which is expected to occur in the second month of
                           the following calendar year).

                  (C)      CAR ALLOWANCE AND COUNTRY CLUB DUES. Employer shall
                           provide Employee with a monthly allowance of
                           $1,000.00 for automobile, country club dues, and
                           tax/financial planning for Employee.

                  (D)      VACATION. Employee shall receive four (4) weeks
                           vacation time per calendar year during the term of
                           this Agreement. Any unused vacation days in any
                           calendar year may not be carried over to subsequent
                           years, except that the number of days of vacation
                           for 1999 will be prorated. Employer agrees that
                           Employee may take vacation on July 30, 1999 and
                           August 2-6, 1999 as part of his vacation days for
                           1999.

                  (E)      EXPENSES. Employer shall reimburse Employee for all
                           reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by
                           Employee at the request of and on behalf of
                           Employer. Reimbursement requests will comply with
                           the Employer's procedures and policies and must be
                           approved by the Chief Executive Officer.

                  (F)      BENEFIT PLANS. Employee may participate in such
                           medical, dental, disability, hospitalization, life
                           insurance, and other benefit plans (such as pension
                           and profit sharing plans) as Employer maintains from
                           time to time for the benefit of other vice-president
                           executives of Employer, on the terms and subject to
                           the conditions set forth in such plans, including
                           without limitation Employer's 401(k) Plan.

                  3.2      EFFECT OF TERMINATION. Except as hereinafter
provided, upon the termination of the employment of Employee hereunder for any
reason, Employee shall be entitled to all compensation and benefits earned or
accrued under Section 3.1 as of the effective date of Termination (the
"Termination Date"), but from and after the Termination Date no additional
compensation or benefits shall be earned by Employee hereunder. Except in the
case of a termination of the employment of Employee pursuant to Section 2(ii)
hereof or a termination by Employee of Employee's employment pursuant to
Section 2(iii) hereof, Employee shall be deemed to have earned any Bonus
payable with respect to the calendar year in which the Termination Date occurs
on a prorated basis (with the Bonus calculated as of the end of the year in
which the Termination Date occurs and with proration through the Termination
Date). If Employee's employment hereunder is terminated by Employer pursuant to
Section 2(iv) hereof,


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then, in addition to any other amount payable hereunder, Employer shall
continue to pay Employee his normal Salary pursuant to Section 3.1(a) for a
period of nine (9) months after the Termination Date in periodic payments (on
the same basis as if Employee continued to serve as an employee hereunder for
such period) and Employee shall continue to be eligible to participate in the
benefit plans and receive the other benefits set forth in Section 3.1(f) above
for such period without any additional expense to Employee.

                  3.3      RELOCATION EXPENSES. In connection with the
Employee's relocation of his residence from Sugar Land, Texas to Georgia, the
Employer will reimburse the Employee for all reasonable costs incurred by the
Employee in such relocation, such as moving expenses, any real estate sales
commissions that Employee is required to pay upon the sale of his home in Sugar
Land, Texas, and closing costs paid by Employee in purchasing a home in Georgia
(including without limitation a maximum of two mortgage loan points not to
exceed $4,000.00, but excluding, however, any real property ad valorem taxes,
casualty insurance premiums, and pre-paid interest). Estimates of such
relocation costs will be submitted in advance for approval by the Chief
Executive Officer of the Employer. All such reimbursements will be grossed up
to cover any income tax related expense to Employee.

                  3.4      HOUSING ALLOWANCE. During the period from the
Effective Date through November 12, 1999 or until the Employee's permanent
residence is moved to Georgia, whichever date occurs first (the "Relocation
Period"), the Employer will provide to Employee in Manchester a company-based
furnished apartment with all utilities and related expenses associated with
such apartment. During the Relocation Period, the Employer will reimburse the
Employee for expenses incurred (airplane and automobile rental) by the Employee
and his wife and children in commuting between Georgia and Sugar Land, Texas.
Such trips for the Employee and his wife will not exceed one round trip per
week and for their children will not exceed one round trip per month.

         SECTION 4         STOCK OPTIONS.

         The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Employer
will grant to Employee options to purchase 50,000 shares of common stock of
Employer under and subject to Employer's 1998 Stock Incentive Plan (the
"Plan"), and Employer will use its best efforts to finalize such grant prior to
June 1, 1999. The option price will be the closing stock price on the day the
options are granted by the Compensation Committee. The options will vest on the
following schedule under the Plan: 25% on the first anniversary date of the
Effective Date, 25% on the second anniversary date of the Effective Date, 25%
on the third anniversary date of the Effective Date, and 25% on the fourth
anniversary date of the Effective Date; provided, however, that all unvested
options will become fully vested and exercisable immediately prior to a Change
in Control with respect to Employer (as defined in the Plan).

         SECTION 5         NON-DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.

                  5.1      TRADE SECRETS. During the term of the Employee's
employment by the Employer and after the termination of such employment,
whether such termination is by the Employee or the Employer, the Employee shall
not use or disclose, or permit any unauthorized person access to, any Trade
Secrets belonging to the Employer or any third party whose Trade Secrets are in
the possession of the Employer.


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                  5.2      CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. During the term of the
Employee's employment by the Employer and for a period of two (2) years after
termination of such employment, whether such termination is by the Employee or
by the Employer, the Employee shall not use or disclose, or permit any
unauthorized person access to, any Confidential Information belonging to the
Employer or any third party whose Confidential Information is in the possession
of the Employer.

                  5.3      DELIVERY OF INFORMATION. Upon request of the Employer
and in any event upon the termination of employment with the Employer, the
Employee shall deliver to the Employer all memoranda, notes, records, tapes,
documentation, disks, manuals, files, or other documents, and all copies
thereof, concerning or containing Confidential Information or Trade Secrets
that are in the Employee's possession, whether made or compiled by the Employee
or furnished to the Employee by the Employer.

                  5.4      DEFINITION OF TRADE SECRETS. For purposes of this
Agreement, "Trade Secrets" shall refer to the trade secrets of the Employer as
that term is defined in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, ss.10-1-761, as
amended from time to time. Trade Secrets also include any information described
herein which the Employer obtains from a third party, which Employer or such
third party treats as proprietary or designates as Trade Secrets, whether or
not owned or developed by the Employer.

                  5.5      DEFINITION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. For purposes
of this Agreement, "Confidential Information" shall mean any data or
information, other than Trade Secrets, that is of value to the Employer and is
not generally known to competitors of the Employer and that is treated by the
Employer as confidential (whether or not such material or information is marked
"confidential"). To the extent consistent with the foregoing and to the extent
not Trade Secrets, Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to,
lists of any information about the Employer's executives and employees,
marketing techniques, price lists, pricing policies, business methods,
manufacturing processes and records, regulatory files and information, supplier
and vendor information and contracts, and financial information. Confidential
Information also includes any information described in this paragraph which the
Employer obtains from a third party, which the Employer or the third party
treats as proprietary or designates as Confidential Information, whether or not
owned or developed by the Employer.

         SECTION 6         MISCELLANEOUS.

                  6.1      SEVERABILITY. The covenants in this Agreement shall
be construed as covenants independent of one another and as obligations
distinct from any other contract between Employee and Employer. Any claim that
Employee may have against Employer shall not constitute a defense to
enforcement by Employer of this Agreement.


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                  6.2      NOTICES.

                           EMPLOYER:    Horizon Medical Products, Inc.
                                        ATTN: CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                                        Seven North Parkway Square
                                        4200 Northside Parkway, N.W.
                                        Atlanta, Georgia 30327

                           EMPLOYEE:    Walter J. Fritschner
                                        21 DuPont Circle
                                        Sugar Land, Texas 77479

or at such other address or number for a party as shall be specified by like
notice. Any notice which is delivered in the manner provided herein shall be
deemed to have been duly given to the party to whom it is directed upon actual
receipt by such party or its agent.

                  6.3      BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement inures to the benefit
of, and is binding upon, Employer and its successors and assigns, and Employee,
together with Employee's executor, administrator, personal representative,
heirs, and legatees.

                  6.4      ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement is intended by the
parties hereto to be the final expression of their agreement with respect to
the subject matter hereof and is the complete and exclusive statement of the
terms thereof, notwithstanding any representations, statements, or agreements
to the contrary heretofore made. This Agreement supersedes and terminates all
prior employment and compensation agreements, arrangements, and understandings
between or among Employer and Employee. This Agreement may be modified only by
a written instrument signed by all of the parties hereto.

                  6.5      GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be deemed to be
made in, and in all respects shall be interpreted, construed, and governed by
and in accordance with, the laws of the State of Georgia. No provision of this
Agreement shall be construed against or interpreted to the disadvantage of any
party hereto by any court or other governmental or judicial authority or by any
board of arbitrators by reason of such party or its counsel having or being
deemed to have structured or drafted such provision.

                  6.6      HEADINGS. The section and paragraph headings
contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not
affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

                  6.7      SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. Each party hereto hereby agrees
that any remedy at law for any breach of the provisions contained in Section 5
of this Agreement shall be inadequate and that the other parties hereto shall
be entitled to specific performance and any other appropriate injunctive relief
in addition to any other remedy such party might have under this Agreement or
at law or in equity.

                  6.8      COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two
or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all
of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.


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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.

                                    HORIZON MEDICAL PRODUCTS, INC.



                                    By:
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       Marshall B. Hunt, Chief Executive Officer


                                    EMPLOYEE:




                                    -----------------------------------------
                                    Walter J. Fritschner


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