Virginia Medical Board Wins Appeal Concerning Doctor’s Revoked Medical License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On March 21, 2017, a Virginia appellate court ruled that a doctor’s state medical license was properly revoked for various reasons including allowing medical students to perform unauthorized medical procedures. The appellate court said the doctor’s due process […]
Recommendations For Physicians Who Receive Notice of Investigation From the ABIM
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In 2010, the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) sanctioned 139 physicians for seeking out and sharing board examination questions with a testing preparation company. For the physicians involved in that cheating scandal, disciplinary action taken by the […]
It is Always a Bad Idea For a Dentist To…
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In my 30 plus years of practice representing physicians, dentists, nurses and psychotherapists, I have defended clients involved in many different situations. Several of these seem to be problem areas which we see repeatedly. Following is a list […]
It is Always a Bad Idea for a Doctor, Nurse or Health Professional to . . . .
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law My experience in representing doctors, nurses and other licensed health professionals in disciplinary cases has lead me to conclude, us to conclude, its is always a bad idea for them to: 1. Write a prescription for any medication […]
New Analysis Shows Number of Residency Positions Keeping Up With Increase in Medical Graduates
By Ritisha K. Chhaganlal, J.D. According to a study done by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the number of students enrolling in medical schools has reached an all-time high. In 2014, the total number of applicants rose by 3.1 percent. AAMC President, Darrel G. Kirch M.D., expressed concerns regarding the availability of residency […]
UCF Medical Student and Her Furry Friend Bring Smiles to the Faces of Ill Children During the Holidays
By Ritisha K. Chhaganlal, J.D. University of Central Florida (UCF) second-year medical student, Christa Zino, and her 2-year-old adopted canine friend, Ion (a boxer), know that smiles can go a long way in healing the spirits of hospital-bound children during the holidays. And they don’t stop there. Zino and Ion visit Nemours Children’s Hospital (Nemours) […]
Medical School Applications Reach an All-Time High in 2015: Good News in the Face of Physician Shortage
By Ritisha K. Chhaganlal, J.D. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) reported in March of 2015, that by the year 2025, demand for physicians will exceed the supply by a projected shortfall of 46,100 to 90,400. Although significant, these numbers are much smaller than numbers previously projected in a 2010 study. That study reported […]
What Medical Students Need to Know About a Finding of “Irregular Behavior” on a USMLE Step Transcript – Part One
By Ritisha K. Chhaganlal, J.D. and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health The United States Medical Licensee Examination (USMLE) Step exams are a major component of students’ journey through medical school. Most students focus on preparing a study plan and earning the ideal score to get […]
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Enters Business Alliance to Expand Into Florida
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On Wednesday, February 10, 2016, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida (Baptist) announced a new “Cancer Alliance.” This unique alliance gives MSK a chance to expand its reach to […]
Contracting 101: Tips for Physicians and Health Professionals – Part 3
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law This blog is the first in a series intended to provide an introductory review of the basics of contracting for medical graduates entering the work force as residents and fellows, primarily by discussing employment agreements. We will highlight […]
Study Finds States That Allow Medical Marijuana May Have Less Opioid Use
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On September 15, 2016, a new study was released from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, that suggests people in states that allow medical marijuana may be using fewer opioid painkillers. Researchers analyzed crash data in 18 […]
Normalization Of Business Relations With Cuba Could Lead To U.S. Patients Seeing Lower Drug Prices
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Obama administration announced on October 14, 2016 its decision to lift a long-standing ban on importing Cuban pharmaceuticals into the United States. If the policy change is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this could […]
Always Be Certain Your Correspondence Is Professional. Don’t Detract From Your Professional Reputation: 30 Tips (Part 1 of 3)
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law I review multiple letters, e-mails, memoranda, and other types of correspondence prepared by my physician and nurse clients during the course of my legal representation of them. Many times, this is the result of a dispute with a […]
Always Be Certain Your Correspondence Is Professional. Don’t Detract From Your Professional Reputation: 30 Tips (Part 3 of 3)
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law This is Part 3 of a 3 part series on this issue. I continue with my tips for preparing good, professional correspondence. 19. In longer correspondence, use section headings (in bold or underlined) or headings for each issue, […]
MetroHealth’s Former COO Charged In Dental Program Bribery Scheme
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On October 25, 2016, former MetroHealth Medical Center Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Dental Director Edward Hills was charged for running an intricate bribery and kickback scheme selling positions in the medical center’s residency program. According to an […]
Judge Refuses to Dismiss Whistleblower’s False Research Data Suit Against Duke University and Two Faculty Members
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On April 27, 2017, a federal judge in North Carolina refused to dismiss a False Claims Act (FCA) lawsuit against Duke University and some of its faculty. The suit alleges that Duke knowingly falsified medical research data in […]
Going to Take the USMLE Step Exams? Beware of Actions That Can Be Called “Irregular Behavior”-Part 1
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law If you are a medical student in or coming to the United States, you are familiar with the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step examinations. Passing these examinations is required to become licensed in the U.S. and […]
Going to Take the USMLE Step Exams? Beware of Actions That Can Be Called “Irregular Behavior”-Part 2 of 2
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In Part 2 of this blog, I will continue to discuss the types of actions the USMLE considers to be “irregular behavior.” To read Part 1 of this blog, click here. Specific examples of conduct that may be […]