When Doctors Should Hire a Lawyer

Treating patients is a business and like any business, there are times when the advice of a lawyer is needed. However, many physicians are unsure when they need a lawyer and what kind. A physician would be wise to retain the services of a law firm that regularly handles health care related matters. There are four specific times a doctor should make a call to their lawyer when dealing with civil, criminal, contractual, or licensing matters.

Civil Matters

If you or your practice receive any kind of demand letter from an attorney, a cease and desist letter, or something similar, a call to your health care lawyer is a must. You should contact your lawyer if your practice has received any kind of official complaints by a visit from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the State Department of Human Rights, Department of Labor, or a similar state or federal regulatory agency. Often, physicians try to handle these matters themselves, but this is a mistake. One serious violation where fines are leveled could bankrupt your practice.

Criminal Matters

If law enforcement asks questions, pay an informal visit to your home or that of your employees, do not speak to them without legal counsel. They may be investigating someone else, but they could also be investigating you. Even if you have done nothing wrong, they can misconstrue information you give them, and the results could have a negative impact. Also, if you are presented with anything other than a routine financial audit by an agency, you should have an attorney present. Finally, if there is a known HIPPA breach, loss or theft of prescription drugs or pads, theft of funds or property, it is not advised to handle these matters yourself.

Contractual Matters

When hiring new employee physicians, bringing in new vendors, establishing new provider agreements, or launching new ancillary services, the practice must be protected by having the newest, legal contracts. Even the wording of a contract drafted a year earlier could become a problem if the laws have changed, impacting the specific agreement.

Licensing Matters

Anything impacting your medical license should be addressed by your Philadelphia health care lawyer. Issues that could adversely impact your practice may involve hospital board status, medical staff privileges, or documents that may need review. A loss of medical license, even if completely innocent of the charges, is a time-consuming and costly matter to reverse. If there is any concern that your license is in jeopardy, the attention of your health care lawyer is vital.

Philadelphia Health Care Lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. Represent Doctors in Legal Matters

The Philadelphia health care lawyers at Sidney L. Gold & Associates, P.C. have represented doctors from Pennsylvania and New Jersey for decades. We attend to legal matters related to your practice so that you can tend to your patients. Meet with us to discuss how we can help protect your practice from the unexpected. Whether you practice in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or anywhere in South Jersey, contact us online to schedule a consultation or call now at 215-569-1999.