Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Professionals Take Heed: It is Always a Bad Idea to . . . .

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

In my 30 plus years of practice representing physicians, dentists, nurses and health care professionals, I have defended clients involved in many different situations. Several of these seem to be problem  areas which we see repeatedly. The following is a list of those problems which it would seem to be common sense for a physician or other health care professional to avoid doing.

I can assure you, it is always a bad idea for a physician or other health care professional to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of her specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold;  a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult;  a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back pain;  an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male; podiatrist writing prescriptions for narcotics to treat back pain).
5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician or health professional is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your physician assistant, ARNP, medical assistant, nurse, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor,  social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs.  For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Avoid doing these things and you will be avoiding some of the major actions including charges and an investigation by your state licensing board, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), your national certification board, any facility at which you have privileges and other law enforcement agencies.

For more information on things that could be harmful to your professional license, click here to read one of my prior blogs.

To learn more about how The Health Law Firm can assist you, click here to visit our website’s areas of practice page.

Click here to view a powerpoint presentation from a previous lecture on how to protect your license.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Investigations of Health Professionals and Providers.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and other health providers in Department of Health (DOH) investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, FBI investigations, Medicare investigations, Medicaid investigations and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law.  He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice.  Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area.  www.TheHealthLawFirm.com  The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone:  (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Items health care professionals should avoid doing, legal representation for investigation by state licensing board, legal representation for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, DEA investigation defense attorney, legal representation for Board investigations, legal representation for Board complaints, legal representation for licensure revocation, license defense attorney, licensure defense for health care professionals, legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for DOH investigations, DOH defense attorney, legal representation for DOH complaints, legal representation for disciplinary actions,  legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm Attorneys, The Health Law Firm

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.Copyright © 2018 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

It is Always a Bad Idea for a Doctor, Nurse or Health Professional to . . . .

3 Indest-2009-2By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

My experience in representing doctors, nurses and other licensed health professionals in disciplinary cases has lead me to conclude, us to conclude, its is always a bad idea for them to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of his specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold; a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult; a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back paid; an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male).

5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your Physician Assistant, ARNP, Medical Assistant, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or HCP health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor, social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs. For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Contact Experienced Health Law Attorneys.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys. We represent medical students, interns, residents, and fellows in disputes with their graduate medical education (GME) programs. We represent clinical professors and instructors in contract disputes, employment disputes, clinical privileges matters and other disputes with their employers. We often act as the physician’s personal counsel in medical malpractice litigation.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, health law defense attorney, Florida health law defense attorney, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, Virginia health law defense lawyer, Louisiana health law defense legal counsel, legal representation for physicians, legal representation for mental health professionals. Colorado health professional defense lawyer, Virginia health law defense counsel, District of Columbia health law legal representation, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm
“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2017 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Professionals Take Heed: It is Always a Bad Idea to . . . .

8 Indest-2008-5By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

In my 30 plus years of practice representing physicians, dentists, nurses and health care professionals, I have defended clients involved in many different situations. Several of these seem to be problem  areas which we see repeatedly. The following is a list of those problems which it would seem to be common sense for a physician or other health care professional to avoid doing.

I can assure you, it is always a bad idea for a physician or other health care professional to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of her specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold;  a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult;  a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back pain;  an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male; podiatrist writing prescriptions for narcotics to treat back pain).
5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician or health professional is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your physician assistant, ARNP, medical assistant, nurse, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor,  social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs.  For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Avoid doing these things and you will be avoiding some of the major actions including charges and an investigation by your state licensing board, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), your national certification board, any facility at which you have privileges and other law enforcement agencies.

For more information on things that could be harmful to your professional license, click here to read one of my prior blogs.

To learn more about how The Health Law Firm can assist you, click here to visit our website’s areas of practice page.

Click here to view a powerpoint presentation from a previous lecture on how to protect your license.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Investigations of Health Professionals and Providers.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and other health providers in Department of Health (DOH) investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, FBI investigations, Medicare investigations, Medicaid investigations and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law.  He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice.  Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area.  www.TheHealthLawFirm.com  The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone:  (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Items health care professionals should avoid doing, legal representation for investigation by state licensing board, legal representation for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, DEA investigation defense attorney, legal representation for Board investigations, legal representation for Board complaints, legal representation for licensure revocation, license defense attorney, licensure defense for health care professionals, legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for DOH investigations, DOH defense attorney, legal representation for DOH complaints, legal representation for disciplinary actions,  legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm Attorneys, The Health Law Firm

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.Copyright © 2018 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Licensed Health Professionals Should Have No Trouble Locating an Attorney/Legal Counsel Who Takes CPH & Associates (CPH&A) Insurance To Represent Them in Licensing Actions and Hearings

Attorney George F. Indest III Headshot By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

We often hear from licensed health professionals who call and retain us to represent them in complaints against their professional licenses in investigations and formal licensure complaints. Often these professionals retain us after adverse disciplinary action has already been taken. In many cases they had good insurance coverage with CPH & Associates (CPH&A) Insurance, or another professional liability insurance company but could not find an attorney that would accept it.

They retain us to appeal or attempt to reverse an adverse disciplinary action taken against their license, including suspensions and revocations. Matters which may arise include letters from the Department of Health (DOH) advising them that they are being investigated, administrative complaints, a pending administrative hearing emergency restriction orders (EROs), and emergency suspension orders (ESOs).

Finding legal counsel that accepts your insurance should not be a difficult task. Our firm and its attorneys have accepted CPH&A Insurance, and many others, for years.

Our firm has attorneys that are licensed in and can defend licensed health professionals in Florida, Colorado, Louisiana, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Additionally, there are many states, such as Tennessee, Georgia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and others, which allow us to appear before their professional licensing boards and authorities and represent clients in these state under their “multi-jurisdictional practice” rules, because this is an area in which we routinely practice.

Legal areas in which we can represent an CPH&A insured that CPH&A will pay for include: investigations commenced against a massage therapist’s license, administrative hearings, complaints against a professional license, emergency restriction orders, emergency suspension orders, administrative complaints, appeals from adverse disciplinary actions, a deposition for which you may be subpoenaed, and many others.

Regardless of the state, contact us at:

The Health Law Firm, Main Office
1101 Douglas Ave.
ALtamonte Springs, FL 32714
Phone: (407) 331-6620
Fax: (407) 331-3030
Website: www.TheHealthLawFirm.com
Internet Contact: www.TheHealthLawFirm.com/contact-us/

One last word, regardless of whether you are covered by CPH&A Insurance or not, if an investigator contacts you to obtain a statement from you, whether orally or in writing, always, always, always, consult with an experienced attorney in this area BEFORE giving any statement or talking to the investigator about anything.

Contact Experienced Health Law Attorneys.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys. We represent medical students, interns, residents, and fellows in disputes with their graduate medical education (GME) programs. We represent clinical professors and instructors in contract disputes, employment disputes, clinical privileges matters and other disputes with their employers. We often act as the physician’s personal counsel in medical malpractice litigation.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

 

KeyWords: Legal representation for licensed health professionals, legal representation for doctors, health law defense attorney, Florida health law defense attorney, legal representation for formal licensure complaints, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for adverse disciplinary action, Department of Health (DOH) investigations and complaints, legal representation for DOH investigations, DOH investigation defense attorney, DOH complaint defense attorney, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, Virginia health law defense lawyer, Louisiana health law defense legal counsel, legal representation for physicians, legal representation for mental health professionals. Colorado health professional defense lawyer, Virginia health law defense counsel, District of Columbia health law legal representation, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm
“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2017 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Arizona Appeals Court Affirms Dentist’s Suspension Over Questionable Prescriptions

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On December 13, 2016, an Arizona appeals court affirmed the suspension of a dentist who allegedly had a history of opioid addiction and who also allegedly wrote dozens of questionable prescriptions. The Arizona appeals court held that the state dental board didn’t violate his due process rights and had substantial evidence backing its decision that it wasn’t safe for him to practice.

The Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, concluded that the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners had acted within its authority by suspending Dr. Michael Wassef’s license to practice dentistry in the state. This was following Dr. Wassef’s refusal to submit to the dental board’s requests after it discovered evidence suggesting he had relapsed. The appeals court decision upheld a lower court’s decision affirming the dental board’s order.

History of Opioid Abuse?

Dr. Wassef’s possible relapse into opioid addiction reportedly first came to the attention of authorities in March 2014. This allegedly occurred when a pharmacist contacted the dental board to raise concerns about Dr. Wassef’s prescription-writing practices, according to the court’s decision. The board discovered that he had received prescriptions for controlled substances in increasing amounts over a six-year time period. Additionally, Dr. Wassef allegedly wrote 44 prescriptions in two years for the muscle relaxant Soma for his wife, his assistant and his assistant’s daughter, the opinion said.

After he tested positive for Soma and another medication, Dr. Wassef refused to submit to an assessment. As a result, the dental board issued an interim order that he obtain an inpatient substance-abuse evaluation, according to the opinion. He refused, and the dental board suspended his license in April 2014.

Arizona State Court Sides With Board.

Dr. Wassef contended that the board denied him due process by suspending his license without allowing him the opportunity to defend himself. Despite Wassef’s claims, the appeals court wasn’t swayed, explaining that the board didn’t have to give him a hearing before entering the interim order and can summarily suspend a licensee when it concludes.

The state board had more than enough evidence to conclude that Dr. Wassef was unsafe to practice dentistry, the appeals court panel held. “Under these circumstances, the board was not required to accept Dr. Wassef’s explanations and Dr. Wassef did not disprove the board’s suspicions,” the panel held. “Thus, the dental board had reasonable grounds to take emergency action to prevent harm to the public.”

To read the decision on this matter, click here.

To read more on the repercussions of choices such as this, click here to read one of my prior blogs.

Serious Allegations Need Serious Legal Representation.

When a dentist, physician, nurse, psychologist, pharmacist, or other licensed health professional is accused of drug abuse or alcohol abuse, this is a very serious matter. As happened in this case, your license can be suspended putting you out of work and terminating your ability to pay for a legal defense.

Several things are a must. You must have good professional liability insurance that pays for the legal defense of complaints filed against your license, preferable with $50,000 or more of coverage for this type of event. Second, you must immediately retain experience health care legal counsel who deals with these types of cases routinely. Often there are options to such a harsh remedy as a suspension. Additionally, all the time spent from initial notification of the complaint, should be used in obtaining evidence to show that the dentist is not currently impaired. This can be routine random urinalysis testing, treatment with psychiatrist and certified addictions professionals, evaluation by special physicians health programs and other actions.

Usually, suspension is only appropriate when the physicians condition makes him an immediate threat to patient safety. Being able to prove that the physician is not a threat is te key to preventing a suspension. Also, using the time and money in appealing such a decision may, in may cases, be better used in requesting an emergency hearing and getting the evidence needed for that hearing.

Consult With An Attorney Experienced in the Representation of Dentists and Other Health Professionals.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents dentists, dental technicians, pharmacists, pharmacies, physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys.

The lawyers of The Health Law Firm are experienced in both formal and informal administrative hearings and in representing dentists and dental hygienists and other health professionals in investigations and at Board of dentistry hearings and other legal matters. Call now or visit our website www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

Sources:

Posses, Shayna. “Ariz. Court Backs Dentist’s Suspension Over Dubious Scripts.” Law360. (December 13, 2016). Web.

“Arizona Court Backs Dentist’s Suspension.” Lexis Nexis. (December 13, 2016). Web.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Legal representation for dentists, defense attorney for dentists, legal counsel for dentists and dental assistants, defense attorney for health care professionals, DEA investigation defense attorney, legal representation for DEA investigations, legal representation for board investigations, defense attorney for board of dentistry matters, reviews of The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, dental board defense work, dental board investigations, impaired dentists, impaired professionals, physician health programs, administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for dentists, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, license revocation, emergency suspension orders, appeals of emergency suspension orders, Professionals Resources Network (PRN) attorney, Florida dentist defense attorney, Virginia dentist defense lawyer, Louisiana dentist defense legal counsel, Colorado dentist defense lawyer, Kentucky legal dentist defense counsel, District of Columbia dentist legal representation

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2016 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

It is Always a Bad Idea for a Doctor, Nurse or Health Professional to . . . .

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

My experience in representing doctors, nurses and other licensed health professionals in disciplinary cases has lead me to conclude, us to conclude, its is always a bad idea for them to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of his specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold; a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult; a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back paid; an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male).

5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your Physician Assistant, ARNP, Medical Assistant, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or HCP health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor, social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs. For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Contact Experienced Health Law Attorneys.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys. We represent medical students, interns, residents, and fellows in disputes with their graduate medical education (GME) programs. We represent clinical professors and instructors in contract disputes, employment disputes, clinical privileges matters and other disputes with their employers. We often act as the physician’s personal counsel in medical malpractice litigation.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, health law defense attorney, Florida health law defense attorney, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, Virginia health law defense lawyer, Louisiana health law defense legal counsel, legal representation for physicians, legal representation for mental health professionals. Colorado health professional defense lawyer, Virginia health law defense counsel, District of Columbia health law legal representation, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm
“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2017 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Professionals Take Heed: It is Always a Bad Idea to . . . .

George IndestBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

In my 30 plus years of practice representing physicians, dentists, nurses and health care professionals, I have defended clients involved in many different situations. Several of these seem to be problem  areas which we see repeatedly. The following is a list of those problems which it would seem to be common sense for a physician or other health care professional to avoid doing.

I can assure you, it is always a bad idea for a physician or other health care professional to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of her specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold;  a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult;  a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back pain;  an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male; podiatrist writing prescriptions for narcotics to treat back pain).
5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician or health professional is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your physician assistant, ARNP, medical assistant, nurse, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor,  social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs.  For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Avoid doing these things and you will be avoiding some of the major actions including charges and an investigation by your state licensing board, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), your national certification board, any facility at which you have privileges and other law enforcement agencies.

For more information on things that could be harmful to your professional license, click here to read one of my prior blogs.

To learn more about how The Health Law Firm can assist you, click here to visit our website’s areas of practice page.

Click here to view a powerpoint presentation from a previous lecture on how to protect your license.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Investigations of Health Professionals and Providers.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and other health providers in Department of Health (DOH) investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, FBI investigations, Medicare investigations, Medicaid investigations and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law.  He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice.  Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area.  www.TheHealthLawFirm.com  The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone:  (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Items health care professionals should avoid doing, legal representation for investigation by state licensing board, legal representation for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, DEA investigation defense attorney, legal representation for Board investigations, legal representation for Board complaints, legal representation for licensure revocation, license defense attorney, licensure defense for health care professionals, legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for DOH investigations, DOH defense attorney, legal representation for DOH complaints, legal representation for disciplinary actions,  legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm Attorneys, The Health Law Firm

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.Copyright © 2018 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Arizona Appeals Court Affirms Dentist’s Suspension Over Questionable Prescriptions

George Indest HeadshotBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On December 13, 2016, an Arizona appeals court affirmed the suspension of a dentist who allegedly had a history of opioid addiction and who also allegedly wrote dozens of questionable prescriptions. The Arizona appeals court held that the state dental board didn’t violate his due process rights and had substantial evidence backing its decision that it wasn’t safe for him to practice.

The Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, concluded that the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners had acted within its authority by suspending Dr. Michael Wassef’s license to practice dentistry in the state. This was following Dr. Wassef’s refusal to submit to the dental board’s requests after it discovered evidence suggesting he had relapsed. The appeals court decision upheld a lower court’s decision affirming the dental board’s order.

History of Opioid Abuse?

Dr. Wassef’s possible relapse into opioid addiction reportedly first came to the attention of authorities in March 2014. This allegedly occurred when a pharmacist contacted the dental board to raise concerns about Dr. Wassef’s prescription-writing practices, according to the court’s decision. The board discovered that he had received prescriptions for controlled substances in increasing amounts over a six-year time period. Additionally, Dr. Wassef allegedly wrote 44 prescriptions in two years for the muscle relaxant Soma for his wife, his assistant and his assistant’s daughter, the opinion said.

After he tested positive for Soma and another medication, Dr. Wassef refused to submit to an assessment. As a result, the dental board issued an interim order that he obtain an inpatient substance-abuse evaluation, according to the opinion. He refused, and the dental board suspended his license in April 2014.

Arizona State Court Sides With Board.

Dr. Wassef contended that the board denied him due process by suspending his license without allowing him the opportunity to defend himself. Despite Wassef’s claims, the appeals court wasn’t swayed, explaining that the board didn’t have to give him a hearing before entering the interim order and can summarily suspend a licensee when it concludes.

The state board had more than enough evidence to conclude that Dr. Wassef was unsafe to practice dentistry, the appeals court panel held. “Under these circumstances, the board was not required to accept Dr. Wassef’s explanations and Dr. Wassef did not disprove the board’s suspicions,” the panel held. “Thus, the dental board had reasonable grounds to take emergency action to prevent harm to the public.”

To read the decision on this matter, click here.

To read more on the repercussions of choices such as this, click here to read one of my prior blogs.

Serious Allegations Need Serious Legal Representation.

When a dentist, physician, nurse, psychologist, pharmacist, or other licensed health professional is accused of drug abuse or alcohol abuse, this is a very serious matter. As happened in this case, your license can be suspended putting you out of work and terminating your ability to pay for a legal defense.

Several things are a must. You must have good professional liability insurance that pays for the legal defense of complaints filed against your license, preferable with $50,000 or more of coverage for this type of event. Second, you must immediately retain experience health care legal counsel who deals with these types of cases routinely. Often there are options to such a harsh remedy as a suspension. Additionally, all the time spent from initial notification of the complaint, should be used in obtaining evidence to show that the dentist is not currently impaired. This can be routine random urinalysis testing, treatment with psychiatrist and certified addictions professionals, evaluation by special physicians health programs and other actions.

Usually, suspension is only appropriate when the physicians condition makes him an immediate threat to patient safety. Being able to prove that the physician is not a threat is te key to preventing a suspension. Also, using the time and money in appealing such a decision may, in may cases, be better used in requesting an emergency hearing and getting the evidence needed for that hearing.

Consult With An Attorney Experienced in the Representation of Dentists and Other Health Professionals.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents dentists, dental technicians, pharmacists, pharmacies, physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys.

The lawyers of The Health Law Firm are experienced in both formal and informal administrative hearings and in representing dentists and dental hygienists and other health professionals in investigations and at Board of dentistry hearings and other legal matters. Call now or visit our website www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

Sources:

Posses, Shayna. “Ariz. Court Backs Dentist’s Suspension Over Dubious Scripts.” Law360. (December 13, 2016). Web.

“Arizona Court Backs Dentist’s Suspension.” Lexis Nexis. (December 13, 2016). Web.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Legal representation for dentists, defense attorney for dentists, legal counsel for dentists and dental assistants, defense attorney for health care professionals, DEA investigation defense attorney, legal representation for DEA investigations, legal representation for board investigations, defense attorney for board of dentistry matters, reviews of The Health Law Firm, The Health Law Firm attorney reviews, dental board defense work, dental board investigations, impaired dentists, impaired professionals, physician health programs, administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for dentists, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, license revocation, emergency suspension orders, appeals of emergency suspension orders, Professionals Resources Network (PRN) attorney, Florida dentist defense attorney, Virginia dentist defense lawyer, Louisiana dentist defense legal counsel, Colorado dentist defense lawyer, Kentucky legal dentist defense counsel, District of Columbia dentist legal representation

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2016 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

Doctors, Nurses and Health Care Professionals Take Heed: It is Always a Bad Idea to . . . .

Headshot of attorney George IndestBy George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

In my 30 plus years of practice representing physicians, dentists, nurses and health care professionals, I have defended clients involved in many different situations. Several of these seem to be problem  areas which we see repeatedly. The following is a list of those problems which it would seem to be common sense for a physician or other health care professional to avoid doing.

I can assure you, it is always a bad idea for a physician or other health care professional to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of her specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold;  a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult;  a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back pain;  an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male; podiatrist writing prescriptions for narcotics to treat back pain).
5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician or health professional is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your physician assistant, ARNP, medical assistant, nurse, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor,  social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs.  For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Avoid doing these things and you will be avoiding some of the major actions including charges and an investigation by your state licensing board, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), your national certification board, any facility at which you have privileges and other law enforcement agencies.

For more information on things that could be harmful to your professional license, click here to read one of my prior blogs.

To learn more about how The Health Law Firm can assist you, click here to visit our website’s areas of practice page.

Click here to view a powerpoint presentation from a previous lecture on how to protect your license.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Investigations of Health Professionals and Providers.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists and other health providers in Department of Health (DOH) investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, FBI investigations, Medicare investigations, Medicaid investigations and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law.  He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice.  Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area.  www.TheHealthLawFirm.com  The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone:  (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: Items health care professionals should avoid doing, legal representation for investigation by state licensing board, legal representation for Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigations, DEA investigation defense attorney, legal representation for Board investigations, legal representation for Board complaints, legal representation for licensure revocation, license defense attorney, licensure defense for health care professionals, legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for DOH investigations, DOH defense attorney, legal representation for DOH complaints, legal representation for disciplinary actions,  legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm Attorneys, The Health Law Firm

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.Copyright © 2018 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

It is Always a Bad Idea for a Doctor, Nurse or Health Professional to . . . .

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

My experience in representing doctors, nurses and other licensed health professionals in disciplinary cases has lead me to conclude, us to conclude, its is always a bad idea for them to:

1. Write a prescription for any medication for yourself.

2. Start a romantic relationship with a patient.

3. Take someone else’s prescription medication, ever.

4. Write a prescription for or treat a patient, especially a family member, for a condition outside the scope of his specialty (e.g., a dentist prescribing antibiotics to her children to treat a cold; a pediatrician prescribing pain medications for an adult; a dentist writing a prescription for pain medications for a patient’s back paid; an OB/GYN prescribing antidepressants for a male).

5. Write any prescription for or treat any patient who is in another state when the physician is not licensed in that state.

6. Treat or prescribe for any spouse, other family member, friend or colleague, without opening a medical record and fully documenting the treatment or prescription, as you would for any other patient.

7. Hire a patient to work for you in your office or, especially, allow a patient to “volunteer” to work in your office.

8. Pre-sign blank prescriptions for your Physician Assistant, ARNP, Medical Assistant, receptionist, or anyone else, to complete later, or have pre-signed blank prescriptions in your office.

9. Seek psychotherapy or drug/alcohol abuse treatment with a physician or HCP health professional in your own medical group, institution or the staff of your own hospital.

10. Add to, alter or change any medical/dental record entry after you know there may be a claim, investigation or litigation involving it.

11. For a mental health professional (psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor, social worker, psychiatric nurse practitioner) to have any type of social relationship with a current patient.

12. Take and use your own drug samples provided by pharmaceutical companies.

13. Go into a hospital where you do not have clinical privileges and treat or “assist” in treating a patient there, even if it is your own patient.

14. Have a sexual relationship ( including “sexting” or “telephone sex”) with a patient or patient’s immediate family member.

These are actual examples from cases in which I have had to represent licensed health professionals in defending their licenses and attempting to keep their jobs. For each of the above, there have been more than one.

Contact Experienced Health Law Attorneys.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents physicians, nurses and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the DEA, Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys. We represent medical students, interns, residents, and fellows in disputes with their graduate medical education (GME) programs. We represent clinical professors and instructors in contract disputes, employment disputes, clinical privileges matters and other disputes with their employers. We often act as the physician’s personal counsel in medical malpractice litigation.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

KeyWords: legal representation for health professionals, legal representation for doctors, health law defense attorney, Florida health law defense attorney, Legal counsel for licensure issues, licensure defense attorney, legal representation for suspended or revoked license, legal representation for adverse disciplinary actions, administrative defense attorney, legal representation for investigations and complaints, legal representation for administrative hearings, complaint investigation defense attorney for health care professionals, appeals (and variations on appeal ) of adverse license action, Virginia health law defense lawyer, Louisiana health law defense legal counsel, legal representation for physicians, legal representation for mental health professionals. Colorado health professional defense lawyer, Virginia health law defense counsel, District of Columbia health law legal representation, The Health Law Firm reviews, reviews of The Health Law Firm
“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of and a registered service mark of The Health Law Firm, P.A., a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.
Copyright © 2017 The Health Law Firm. All rights reserved.

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