A Self-Audit Checklist for Laboratories

By: Dean Viskovich

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) and other Federal agencies charged with responsibility for enforcement of Federal law have emphasized the importance of voluntarily developed and implemented compliance plans.  The government, especially the OIG, has a zero- tolerance policy towards fraud and abuse and uses its extensive statutory authority to reduce fraud in Medicare and other federally funded health care programs.  The OIG believes that through a partnership with the private sector, significant reductions in fraud and abuse can be accomplished.  Compliance plans offer a vehicle to achieve that goal.  The OIG has provided a model compliance plan for clinical laboratories to assist laboratory providers in crafting and refining their own compliance plans.

The OIG suggests that the comprehensive compliance program should include the following elements:

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Health Care Clinics Targeted For Medical Director Requirements

By: Zach Simpson

There have been a rise in cases recently, in which practices that operate under a Health Care Clinic License have been brought under scrutiny by insurance companies trying to recoup funds through any means possible. In an effort to claw back funds insurance companies are beginning to claim that medical directors are failing to meet their statutory obligations under Florida Law which in turn can have serious monetary repercussions. Due to the clinics allegedly failing to meet their statutory obligations the insurance companies are filing suit to recoup any payments made while violating the Health Care Clinic Act obligations, and to stall any future payments due until such cases are heard.

By law, a medical director must be a health care practitioner that holds an active and unencumbered Florida license as a medical physician, osteopathic physician, chiropractic physician, or podiatric physician. The type of services provided at a clinic may dictate who would be able to serve as a clinic’s medical director, because a medical director must be authorized under the law to supervise all services provided at the clinic.

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A Business Law Lawyer in Florida: A Healthcare Organization’s Best Friend

business law lawyer florida

business law lawyer floridaDon’t face legal challenges alone. A business law lawyer can help you address problems head on, and together, you can craft programs to help you avoid future headaches. Learn how.

Far too many healthcare organizations believe they can head off legal challenges (or prevent them from cropping up in the first place) without the help of a business law lawyer. 

As one of the top firms offering business law lawyers in Florida, we’re here to tell you this just isn’t true. 

Every healthcare organization deserves competent, qualified legal counsel. Those that invest in help tend to experience far fewer complications than their counterparts do. 

Let us explain. 

3 Cringeworthy Medical Law Examples 

A business law lawyer is concerned with the ins and outs of the way you run your organization. The details may seem small and insignificant. But get them wrong, and the consequences can be severe.

Here are three recent examples any executive would be wise to study:

  1. Data sharing: A medical center in Chicago formed a partnership with Google to explore how technology could uncover hidden medical conditions. Patients allege that the documentation shared violated their privacy. 
  2. Crisis management: A hospital in Iowa faced many different lawsuits coming right after the other. The team allegedly attempted to bury the news, which became a reputation problem. 
  3. Employee spending: A hospital in Kentucky held back money from paychecks to cover health insurance premiums. Officials allegedly used the money for other purposes. 

In some of these examples, a business law lawyer could have averted disaster. In others, counsel could clean up the mess and prevent future problems. 

How to Hire a Business Law Lawyer 

Plenty of legal professionals specialize in the details of corporate affairs. But medical teams need a little bit more. The rules and regulations that surround healthcare are obtuse, and an expert can do more than a novice. 

If you need help from a business law lawyer in Florida, consider our firm. We have decades of combined experience in serving hospitals, health plans, and other affiliated clinics. We’d love to talk with you. 

When Was Your Last Regulatory Compliance Audit?

health care professionals attorney

health care professionals attorneyRegulatory compliance audits can help you head off lawsuits before they get started. Learn how to set a schedule based on your organization’s unique risks and benefits, and let trained legal counsel help you. 

As a healthcare executive, it’s your job to craft policies that protect your patients, your staff, and your community. Regulatory compliance audits help you do your work effectively. But if you dread them, you’re not alone. 

It’s not uncommon for organizations to postpone and delay compliance work. No one likes the hassle. But a healthcare practice attorney could help you both set up an audit schedule and complete your tasks with ease. 

When Is a Regulatory Compliance Audit Required?

Every healthcare organization faces a unique set of compliance risks. It’s critical for you to understand your environment intimately and design your audit schedule accordingly. 

Typically, regulatory compliance audits are performed:

  • On a schedule. If your organization is large and includes plenty of service lines, you’ll need to assess risks more frequently than a smaller, targeted organization. 
  • After an issue is detected. Some healthcare legislation requires proof that you’ve learned from your mistakes. If a compliance problem appears, an audit can help you determine how it happened and what you can do to prevent the next issue. 
  • After hefty staff turnover. Everyone on your team must understand how the rules work and why they are important. That’s not always easy for health professionals. Attorney support can be critical. 

Your schedule may change as your organization grows or shrinks. And you may need more audits one year than another. Flexibility is critical. 

Why Do Healthcare Practice Attorneys Perform Audits? 

If you’re a do-it-yourself executive, the thought of hiring someone to help you achieve compliance may seem unusual or strange. But the benefits are both real and plentiful.

A healthcare practice attorney can offer you:

  • Confidentiality. The information gleaned during the process remains between the two of you, and it’s protected from disclosure. 
  • Expertise. The rules and regulations you must follow can be hard to both read and understand. Healthcare practice attorneys specialize in these sorts of documents, and they can explain them to you quickly and carefully. 
  • Impartiality. It’s easy to make excuses for your employees (and yourself). Professionals can look over your records dispassionately, so you can make smart decisions. 

At Florida Healthcare Law Firm, we specialize in regulatory compliance audits. Our healthcare practice attorneys can walk you through the laws and help you stay on the right side of the law. Contact us to find out more about how these audits work and how you can get started.