DOH investigation | The Health Law Firm Blog

DOH Releases Quarterly Report Covering Through March 2021

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

The Florida Department of Health’s Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2020-2021, was recently released. It provides information and statistics on actions involving licensed health professionals through March 2021.

Scope of the Florida DOH’s Control.

First, note that Florida’s Department of Health regulates 22 health care practitioner boards and four health professional councils. This makes it one of the largest such organizations in the country. Second, this also means that the practice of health care in Florida is one of the most heavily regulated anywhere in the U.S., with each professional board, as well […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-24T20:02:05-04:00March 26, 2024|Dental Law Blog|

Department of Health Quarterly Report Released Covering Through March 2021

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

The Florida Department of Health’s Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2020-2021, was recently released. It provides information and statistics on actions involving licensed health professionals through March 2021.

Scope of the Florida Department of Health’s Control.

First, note that Florida’s Department of Health regulates 22 health care practitioner boards and four health professional councils. This makes it one of the largest such organizations in the country. Second, this also means that the practice of health care in Florida is one of the most heavily regulated anywhere in the U.S., with each professional board, […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:10-04:00March 11, 2024|Massage Law Blog|

Review Your Department Of Health Practitioner Profile or it Could Cost You!

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

In 1997, the Florida Legislature passed a statute that requires the Department of Health (DOH) to maintain online practitioner profiles for certain health care professionals. Practitioner profiles are required for medical doctors, osteopathic physicians (DOs), chiropractors (DCs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and podiatric physicians. The statute specified the required information to be maintained, how it was to be reported, and other requirements dealing with compiling and updating the information in the profiles.

To visit the DOH’s website and learn more about these profiles, click here.

What […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:13-04:00June 14, 2019|Pharmacy Law Blog|

You Could Face Steep Repercussions From License Discipline or Resignation After Notice of Investigation

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

Do you have a dental, medical, pharmacy or nursing license in several different states? Do you have a license in more than one health care profession? Have you been notified that an investigation has been opened against you? Are you thinking about resigning your professional license or voluntarily relinquishing such a license? Then you must be aware of the following information.

First, you should never voluntarily relinquish or resign your license after you know that an investigation has been opened or that disciplinary action has been taken against you. Such resignation is considered to be […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:13-04:00May 23, 2019|Dental Law|

Although the Law Stacks the Deck Against You, Leaving a Foreign Body in a Patient Doesn’t Always Mean Negligence or Discipline

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

Leaving a foreign object (sometimes referred to as a “retained foreign body” or “RFB”) in a patient, such as a sponge, clamp, forceps, surgical needle, guide wire, part of a surgical instrument or other paraphernalia commonly used in surgical, examination, or other diagnostic procedures, does not necessarily mean that the physician has committed an act of negligence or that the physician will be disciplined by the Board of Medicine (BOM) or Department of Health (DOH). There are many defenses in such a case and many incidents which do not constitute negligence. However, as a preliminary […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:14-04:00May 21, 2019|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Review Your Florida DOH Practitioner Profile or it Could Cost You!

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

In 1997, the Florida Legislature passed a statute that requires the Department of Health (DOH) maintain online practitioner profiles for certain health care professionals. Practitioner profiles are required for medical doctors, osteopathic physicians (DOs), chiropractors (DCs), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and podiatric physicians. The statute specified the required information to be maintained, how it was to be reported, and other requirements dealing with compiling and updating the information in the profiles.

To visit the DOH’s website and learn more about these profiles, click here.

What Information Does the Practitioner Profile Include?

The profile contains required […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:14-04:00May 21, 2019|The Health Law Firm Blog|

Practicing Medicine Without a Medical License Lands Miami Couple Behind Bars

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

By now, you have heard stories of fake doctors and dentists in South Florida working on patients and causing severe injuries.

Usually, these are solo efforts. However, according to CBS Miami, a couple was arrested back in August of 2011, for practicing medicine without a license. The wife owned a clinic where the husband treated patients. The majority of the patients were children, but the fake doctor also apparently performed gynecological exams on female patients.

Click here to see the story […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:37-04:00June 1, 2018|Department of Health, Fake Health Care Professionals, In the Know, Licensing issues, Medical License, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Beware of These Illegal Business Arrangements in Healthcare

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

Florida does not have a corporate practice of medicine prohibition like many other states do. In other words, a physician is allowed to work as an employee or independent contractor of a corporation or other business entity owned by nonphysicians However, there are a number of exceptions to this rule.

For dentists, optometrists and chiropractors there are specific statutory prohibitions on any member of that profession practicing his or her specialty while working for a group, practice or organization that is owned or controlled by one who is not a […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:38-04:00June 1, 2018|Department of Health, Medical License, Medicare, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Fake Pharmacist Sentenced to Prison for Working in Central Florida Pharmacies

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

On November 2, 2012, a former Altamonte Springs resident was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently working as a Central Florida pharmacist from 2000 to 2009, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Click here to read the press release from the DOJ.

I previously blogged about this story when the fake pharmacist pleaded guilty. Click here to read that blog.

Phony Pharmacist Worked at Central Florida Pharmacies Including CVS and Walgreens.

According to an article in the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:39-04:00June 1, 2018|DEA, Department of Health, Fake Health Care Professionals, In the Know, Pharmacy, The Health Law Firm Blog|

Florida Dentist Hit with an Emergency Suspension Order for Allegedly Inhaling Nitrous Oxide

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

A Debary, Florida, dentist has been served with an emergency suspension order (ESO) by the Florida Department of Health (DOH) for allegedly inhaling nitrous oxide or laughing gas in front of patients. The administrative complaint filed against the dentist on November 2, 2012, by the Florida DOH stated a department-approved evaluator deemed the dentist unfit to practice dentistry and was recommended to undergo residential treatment.

Click here to read the full administrative complaint against the dentist.

We want to point out that these are just allegations made […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:41-04:00June 1, 2018|Dentist, Department of Health, Informal Hearings, The Health Law Firm Blog|