Articles by Topic - Legal
Listing articles 1 to 10 of 27
- Legal Matters: Department of Health and Human Services' Final Rule Expands HIPAA Obligations, Violation Penalties
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: May 01, 2013
- Physicians' business associates can now face civil, criminal penalties for violating HIPAA confidentiality laws
- Legal Matters: As Opioids for Pain Treatment Come Under Greater Scrutiny, Controlled Substance Agreements Matter More
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: Mar 01, 2013
- A controlled substance agreement can help a physician communicate expectations for their pain medication treatment plan, and guidelines for safe usage by their patients
- Legal Matters: Employment Contracts Need to Ensure Physicians are Free Agents
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: Dec 01, 2012
- How to avoid restrictive employment agreements that prevent moonlighting, volunteering or appearing as an expert witness outside your clinical practice work
- Legal Matters: Part-Time Work Appeals to Increasing Number of Physicians
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: Nov 01, 2012
- A survey from 2010 reports that 21% of physicians in the United States are working part-time, compared with 13% in 2005
- Article: Can Electronic Health Records Impact Malpractice Liability?
- Norra MacReady
- Published: Oct 01, 2012
- A new study suggests adopting EHRs can lower the risk of medical malpractice, but not everyone agrees that EHRs are good medicine
- Legal Matters: With Employees, Timely Documentation Is Key
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: Jul 05, 2012
- Key documentation you should have in place for each of your employees.
- Legal Matters: Tips for Avoiding a Wrongful Termination Charge
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: May 09, 2012
- The reality for most businesses, including medical practices, is that the business owner or another employee is tasked with the uncomfortable role of terminator. If the termination is handled improperly, the former employee may lodge a complaint against you. In fact, wrongful termination charges filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rose last year for the seventh consecutive year.
- News Briefs: Medicare Physician Payment Cut Averted
- Stephanie Cajigal
- Published: Mar 13, 2012
- A 27.4 percent Medicare cut was scheduled to begin Mar. 1.
- Legal Matters: Time to Retire Your White Coat? Plan your exit strategy carefully
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: Jan 13, 2012
- As the physicians of the baby boomer generation approach their golden years, many have achieved career and financial success and are looking for an arrangement that will allow them to ease into retirement. While you may not be ready to hang up your white coat permanently, you may be interested in working fewer hours and taking less call. Retirement requires more than simply removing your name from the office door, however. If you are a physician nearing retirement, it is important that you plan, discuss...
- Legal Matters: New Ventures, New Risks: Review all possibilities before affiliating with a hospital
- Steven M. Harris, Esq.
- Published: Nov 05, 2011
- In my January 2011 column (“A Seller’s Market: How to prepare your practice for sale to a hospital”), I described the growing trend of physicians selling their practices to hospitals and large health systems and then working for the hospital or health system. This trend is expected to continue in full force through 2012. As I noted in my January article, the physician’s post-sale arrangement is the driver for the growth of the physician’s practice within the hospital or health...
