doctor writing notes

When you renew your hospital privileges, be certain to read the questions carefully. A mistake might be viewed as a lie.

When the Department of Health, Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) sends a physician a letter about an issue, that letter usually states that the medical practice of the physician is being “investigated”.  That word, “investigated”, is extremely significant because it can lead to some very unpleasant consequences. The problem starts when the physician is […]

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What to do when you receive an audit letter from an insurance company

Whether you are a physician or another type of health care provider, you are in a business relationship with health insurance companies that cover your patients. This proves to be true for those who are in their network and those that are an out–of–network provider.  Although you welcome the checks that the companies send to […]

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wooden gavel court

How Does A Hearing About Your Health Care Provider License At The Department Of Education Work?

If you are a health care provider, a nurse, a chiropractor, a dentist, etc, all disciplinary hearings that could adversely affect your New York State license are held by the Department of Education, Office of Professional Discipline.  The Hearings in the New York City area are held at 1411 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, New York […]

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Be Careful at an OPD Interview

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU GO TO AN INTERVIEW AT THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE, OPD, –OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE GIVEN STATEMENTS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AT YOUR CLIENT’S EXPENSE We recently represented a nurse at a Department of Education, OPD interview in a situation where it was claimed that regulations had not been followed when a […]

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wooden gavel court

New York State Department of Health, OPMC, Consent Orders Can Be Confusing

A health care provider recently came to me after entering into a Consent Order with the Office of Professional Conduct, OPMC.  The Order was lengthy and prevented the provider from practicing until certain steps were taken.  One of the steps was to take and pass the certifying exam for Physician Assistants to prove that his […]

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wooden gavel concept

Does my Board certification still exist after my medical license has been restored?

Your client has his/her ability to practice medicine restored after a substance abuse rehabilitation, but does the clients board ccertification still exist? I recently represented a physician through a two plus year rehabilitation period and after a Hearing with the New York State Department of Health, The Office of Professional Medical Conduct, OPMC, the ability […]

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doctor writing notes

Be Careful When Answering Questions on Your Medical License Application

I routinely receive calls from physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers about the answers to questions which are posed in the New York State licensure application. Sometimes the situation is when the application is in the process of being filed and the call comes to me when the State is questioning the truthfulness of some […]

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long hospital hallway

Danger, The General Counsel of Your Hospital Wants to Have an Urgent Meeting With You!

If you are a physician or other healthcare provider working at a hospital, you must be aware that the hospital administration is constantly looking to protect the hospital at the expense of its employees or independent attending physicians. Hospitals are constantly being monitored by the local, state and federal governments. If there is a problem, […]

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Successful Reinstatement of a New York Physician’s Medicial License after Substance Abuse Issues.

The purpose of this article is to educate physicians regarding the process of reinstating a medical license after surrendering it due to substance abuse.  Suffice it to say, the road to the restoration is longer than you think it will be.  What follows is the sequence of events in a case I just concluded. The […]

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long hospital hallway

Hospital administration protects the hospital, not the staff.

Be careful of EMTALA and HIPAA violations If you are employed by or on the staff of a hospital, you must be very careful when dealing with or discussing patients.  Two federal statutes that can truly make your life miserable are the Emergency Medical and Labor Act (EMTALA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act […]

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Department of Education Peer Committee Panel Recommends Medical License Restoration for a Physician

We represented a physician who surrendered his medical license some years earlier due to several complaints of inappropriate behavior with some of his patients. One of the matters resulted in a criminal conviction. The physician wanted to have his license reinstated and we assisted him in preparing the required paperwork for the application. This consisted […]

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Be Careful How You Answer The Questions On The Form For Your Registration Renewal Of Your New York State Medical License

When you fill out your Registration Renewal form for your New York State medical license, read the questions very carefully. I have numerous cases where the physician answered some of the questions incorrectly. If that incorrect answer is discovered by The New York State Department of Health, the Office of Professional Conduct (OPMC), the office […]

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