California Healthcare License Defense Attorneys
For a physician or other healthcare professional, your medical license being in good standing is essential to your career. If your license is at risk due to an administrative complaint, accusation, or licensure investigation by a medical board, disciplinary actions can have long-term consequences for your job and professional reputation. How and when you respond matters, and a California healthcare license defense lawyer can help you evaluate your options.
Experienced Healthcare License Defense
Century Law Group specializes in the representation of physicians and healthcare providers in all matters pertaining to their license. Our professional license defense attorneys regularly represent healthcare professionals in California before the Office of Administrative Hearings, where licensing matters are initially adjudicated.
What Is an Administrative Complaint?
An administrative complaint is a notice from the medical board stating that they have cause to believe you may have violated the public health code or the terms of your licensure. An administrative complaint is the first step in the investigation process, and if the board finds evidence, it can end with your license being suspended or revoked.
Complaints against physicians and other health professionals can come from patients, their families, coworkers, colleagues, law enforcement officials, or other agencies. In California, the investigator will work with an agency that corresponds with the area of practice.
We represent licensees and those seeking licenses before:
- Acupuncture Board
- Board of Pharmacy
- Board of Podiatric Medicine
- Board of Psychology
- Board of Registered Nursing
- Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians
- Dental Board
- Medical Board
- Physical Therapy Board
The Investigation Process
When a complaint is filed, it is reviewed to determine if a violation may have occurred and, if so, that it is within the medical board’s purview. If it is, it will be sent to an investigator who will interview all parties involved, obtain relevant records, and gather additional evidence. The provider may receive a call, letter, or other communication from the investigating office or the medical board requesting medical records or an interview.
If the investigator finds evidence of a violation, the provider will receive a formal accusation and must respond. At this point, it’s possible to resolve the accusation through negotiation, but if that doesn’t work, a hearing will be scheduled at the Office of Administrative Hearings, which is similar to a court trial.
What To Do if You Receive an Administrative Complaint
If you receive an administrative complaint, you need to send a response as soon as possible. If you don’t, you will likely lose the chance to defend yourself against the allegations in the administrative complaint, and the complaint will be sent to the board’s disciplinary office to determine penalties.
It’s important to know that how you respond can have a big impact on the outcome of your complaint, including the option of having it dismissed. Preserving your rights is of the utmost importance, and mistakes in wording can undermine that protection.
Tip: If you have come under scrutiny, you will likely be contacted with a letter and/or telephone call from an investigator. If you have been contacted in any capacity, it is advisable for you to contact an attorney before replying in any way to the investigator or the board.
Possible Penalties
When you go through the investigation process, the hope is that the complaint will be dismissed; however, with your livelihood and reputation on the line, it is important to be aware of all the options available to you. If you are found to have violated the public health code or terms of your license at the hearing, you will receive some form of discipline.
If the investigation finds the complaint is warranted, there are several possible outcomes, including the following:
- Reprimand or citation
- Fines
- Probation
- Suspension or loss of medical license
- Loss of employment
- Loss of facility privileges
- Exclusion from Medicare or HMO and PPO programs
Appeals
In some cases, you can appeal the decision of an administrative hearing. Oftentimes, there may be an opportunity to receive early termination of probation or a reduced penalty. Also, if a medical license is suspended or revoked, there is often a possibility of reinstatement. There are limitations on eligibility for some of these options, and the conditions can be complex.
You Don’t Have to Handle an Investigation Alone
Whether you are a chiropractor, podiatrist, dentist, pharmacist, physician, psychologist or nurse that has received an Accusation or you are an individual who has been denied a license, Century Law Group can help. Call 866-522-2642 or e-mail us to schedule an appointment to discuss your case in a free initial consultation.
Our lawyers have represented physicians and other medical professionals in hundreds of professional licensure cases before California licensing boards. Our primary goal in these matters is to help obtain and/or keep our clients’ professional licenses. Some of the specific types of professional licensure cases we handle include:
- Prescription fraud/violations
- Standard of care violations
- Medical records violations
- False insurance claims
- Wrong-site surgery
- Advertising violations
- Continuing medical education violations
- Sexual misconduct with patients
- Disciplinary actions
An experienced, healthcare license defense attorney can help you focus on the relevant issues and protect your rights. Our medical license defense attorneys are advocates for physicians facing license revocation, peer review proceedings, and other legal and professional challenges. If you have been targeted by a state healthcare board investigation that threatens your license to practice, don’t hesitate to contact us at (866) 522-2642.
CENTURY LAW GROUP defended a nurse accused of administering an overdose of heparin in the high-profile case involving the twin infants of Dennis Quaid. The judge found that CENTURY LAW GROUP’s client did not administer the overdose and recommended that no discipline be imposed.
To speak to a lawyer at our firm about Healthcare matters, call us at 866-522-2642 or e-mail us now.
Consider a Consultation With a Defense Attorney
You may want to consider hiring an attorney for an administrative complaint against you. While this process is not quite the same as going to court, there can be serious legal repercussions. In addition, the state office will have experienced attorneys representing their interests, and they do not have to provide counsel for you. Their job is to protect the public, not healthcare providers.
When your medical license might be on the line, you want to make sure you have a strong chance at a positive outcome in your case, and you can’t do that on your own. You need a healthcare license defense attorney on your side to make sure all the details of your defense are used to your advantage.
Representing Health Care Professionals Before The Medical Board of California
Doctors, surgeons, nurses and other medical specialists are held to rigorous standards of practice. Even minor mistakes could result in serious consequences, including a formal investigation and review of one’s professional license.
Century Law Group, LLP, focuses on representing licensed health care professionals in Los Angeles, San Francisco and throughout California. From license admission or reinstatement to defense against medical board reviews or civil lawsuits, our attorneys provide experienced, results-driven advice and representation.
Medical License Admissions, Review And Reinstatement
With more than 50 years of combined experience, our lawyers provide knowledgeable counsel on all matters of medical license admissions procedures, hospital peer reviews and license reinstatement. We also provide counsel on maintaining an ethical medical practice in compliance with administrative regulations and all state and federal laws.
Our experience includes representing medical licensees from all sectors of the industry before relevant California licensing boards, including:
- Board of Medical Examiners
- Board of Registered Nursing
- Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians
- Board of Psychology
- Board of Pharmacy
- Acupuncture Board
- Board of Podiatric Medicine
- Dental Board
- Physical Therapy Board
California Lawyers Experienced In Health Care Professional Defense
Medical specialists facing disciplinary charges or civil litigation for alleged misconduct often benefit from the proactive representation provided by our firm. If you have received a notice of investigation by the Board of Medical Examiners, Board of Regist
We will focus on the relevant issues and assist you in preparing a strong defense that addresses concerns and minimizes personal liability. We have represented medical professionals in hundreds of professional license review cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings, relevant licensing boards and before state and federal courts throughout California.
ered Nursing or another administrative authority, we will assist you in the defense of your professional license, as well as your reputation. Our experience includes claims involving:
- Patient-care violations
- Alleged substance abuse
- Ethics violations
- Fee disagreements
- Prescription errors
- Surgical errors
- Medical records violations
- Medical insurance fraud
We will focus on the relevant issues and assist you in preparing a strong defense that addresses concerns and minimizes personal liability. We have represented medical professionals in hundreds of professional license review cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings, relevant licensing boards and before state and federal courts throughout California.
FAQs About California Healthcare License Law
Q: Are Healthcare Professionals in California Required to Have Malpractice Insurance?
A: Healthcare professionals in California are not generally required to have malpractice insurance by law; however, they may be required to have it in certain circumstances or professional settings. For instance, if it is a requirement for employment. Many healthcare facilities, hospitals, and clinics require their medical staff to have malpractice insurance.
Q: What Do Healthcare License Defense Attorneys Focus on?
A: Healthcare license defense attorneys focus on protecting the legal rights of their clients and making sure that any legal proceedings follow the proper procedures, as well as representing you in court or in front of a medical board. In most cases, an attorney can begin representing you as soon as you know there is a problem and can negotiate on your behalf throughout the process.
Q: What Is the Most Common Argument of a Healthcare License Defense Attorney?
A: A healthcare license defense attorney looks at all the facts of a complaint and forms a defense based on the individual circumstances. Some common defenses for healthcare professionals facing license revocation are that no error actually occurred, the provider upheld their standard of care, or they did not cause the issue. Legal doctrines such as due process may also be part of the defense.
Q: Can a Lawyer in California Practice in Another State?
A: Generally, a lawyer in California can’t practice law in another state unless they meet the requirements of that state well. However, some lawyers pass a Multistate Bar Exam, which allows them to practice in any state that uses it in its licensing process. There are some exceptions, such as temporary legal services or in-house counsel.
Contact Century Law Group, LLP
The experienced attorneys at Century Law Group, LLP, are here to help healthcare professionals with all their licensing matters. Contacting a lawyer to assist in your medical license review is an essential step to protecting your rights and reputation. Contacting one with demonstrated success in health care license defense can be invaluable. To discuss your legal concerns, contact our firm for a free, 20-minute consultation with our experienced lawyers: 800-465-4192.
