Health care is one of the most regulated, complex,
and technology dependent sectors in today's business economy.
The ever-increasing regulatory landscape, both federal and state,
require legal advice on most activities involving the health care
client. To meet these challenges, our firm's health care practice
combines lawyers who devote most of their time to health care
clients with the experience of lawyers from other practice groups
who have valuable knowledge and specific expertise with particular
health care issues.
 Our
firm represents hospitals, physicians, physical therapists, correctional
health care professionals, nurses and others in the health care
provider community. As a key player in the defense of health care
providers faced with lawsuits and overcoming other legal hurdles,
our attorneys have a unique insight into the health care industry
in West Virginia. We not only counsel our health care clients
on medical malpractice and other litigation related matters but
we have expanded the non-litigation related legal services that
we offer our health care clients.
We advise our health care clients on a variety
of state and federal regulatory issues, including: certificate
of need, state licensure board matters, fraud and abuse, kickback
and Stark issues, information privacy and security (HIPAA), reimbursement
and billing issues, EMTALA issues, and medical record confidentiality
and retention. Our attorney's provide legal support for privacy
officers and compliance officers on a variety of regulatory matters.
Our attorneys are involved in developing policies
and procedures needed for compliance, reviewing and negotiating
health care agreements, examining medical ethics and patient care
issues, advising hospitals and health systems on operational issues,
addressing medical staff issues, drafting and revising medical
staff bylaws, researching peer review topics, representing clients
involved in disciplinary actions and advising on labor and employment
issues. We also provide business counseling and advice on acquiring,
selling or forming health care businesses, structuring physician
practices and advising on information technology and electronic
medical record issues. Our attorneys are experienced in hospital/physician
relationship issues and provider/insurance arrangements.
Our firm serves as counsel to the West Virginia
State Medical Association and as such stays involved in formulating
and influencing health care policy in the state of West Virginia.
Our attorneys continually deal with the legislative and executive
branch of state government on a number of health care related
topics. Some of our attorneys are registered lobbyists providing
legislative drafting expertise and general legal support skills
needed during the legislative process.
We understand the importance of assisting our
health care clients in planning and meeting their required regulatory
obligations, focusing on business matters and effectively addressing
operational issues. By promoting and addressing these non-litigation
legal issues-we can better position our health care client and
potentially reduce the likelihood of our clients facing litigation.
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