DOH Releases Quarterly Report Covering Through March 2021
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Florida Department of Health’s Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2020-2021, was recently released. It provides information and statistics on actions involving licensed health professionals through March 2021. Scope of the Florida […]
Department of Health Quarterly Report Released Covering Through March 2021
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Florida Department of Health’s Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) for the Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2020-2021, was recently released. It provides information and statistics on actions involving licensed health professionals through March 2021. Scope of the Florida […]
Review Your Department Of Health Practitioner Profile or it Could Cost You!
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In 1997, the Florida Legislature passed a statute that requires the Department of Health (DOH) to maintain online practitioner profiles for certain health care professionals. Practitioner profiles are required for medical doctors, osteopathic physicians (DOs), chiropractors (DCs), advanced […]
You Could Face Steep Repercussions From License Discipline or Resignation After Notice of Investigation
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Do you have a dental, medical, pharmacy or nursing license in several different states? Do you have a license in more than one health care profession? Have you been notified that an investigation has been opened against you? […]
Although the Law Stacks the Deck Against You, Leaving a Foreign Body in a Patient Doesn’t Always Mean Negligence or Discipline
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Leaving a foreign object (sometimes referred to as a “retained foreign body” or “RFB”) in a patient, such as a sponge, clamp, forceps, surgical needle, guide wire, part of a surgical instrument or other paraphernalia commonly used in […]
Review Your Florida DOH Practitioner Profile or it Could Cost You!
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law In 1997, the Florida Legislature passed a statute that requires the Department of Health (DOH) maintain online practitioner profiles for certain health care professionals. Practitioner profiles are required for medical doctors, osteopathic physicians (DOs), chiropractors (DCs), advanced practice […]
Fake Pharmacist Sentenced to Prison for Working in Central Florida Pharmacies
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2012, a former Altamonte Springs resident was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently working as a Central Florida pharmacist from 2000 to 2009, according to the Department of Justice […]
New Professional Liability Insurance Benefits for Health Professionals
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law I have been pleasantly surprised recently to discover that several professional liability insurance companies have raised their coverage amounts and added coverage in areas sorely needed by health professionals. I’m referring to coverage for incidents not necessarily related […]
Florida Dentist Hit with an Emergency Suspension Order for Allegedly Inhaling Nitrous Oxide
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A Debary, Florida, dentist has been served with an emergency suspension order (ESO) by the Florida Department of Health (DOH) for allegedly inhaling nitrous oxide or laughing gas in front of patients. The administrative complaint filed against the […]
Beware of These Illegal Business Arrangements in Healthcare
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Florida does not have a corporate practice of medicine prohibition like many other states do. In other words, a physician is allowed to work as an employee or independent contractor of a corporation or other business entity owned […]
Practicing Medicine Without a Medical License Lands Miami Couple Behind Bars
By Danielle M. Murray, J.D., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law By now, you have heard stories of fake doctors and dentists in South Florida working on patients and causing severe injuries. Usually, these are solo efforts. However, according to CBS Miami, a couple […]
Orlando Pharmacist in Hot Water After Filling Fraudulent Prescriptions
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Another pharmacist was led away in handcuffs during a September 25, 2012, raid on an Orlando-area pharmacy, according to a number of sources. The pharmacist is accused of filling prescriptions for oxycodone, even though he allegedly knew the […]
The Collateral Effects of Voluntary Relinquishment with Investigation Pending or other Discipline on Your Massage Therapy License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Many massage therapists are unaware of the drastic long-term effects that discipline on their massage therapist license could have. This includes submitting a voluntary relinquishment of the massage therapist’s license while there is an investigation pending or while […]
Department of Health (DOH) Asking Suspended Florida Massage Therapists to Voluntarily Relinquish Their Licenses
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law, and Christopher E. Brown, J.D. On September 19, 2012, Florida state authorities announced the suspension of more than 80 massage therapists’ licenses. They are accused of fraudulently obtaining their licenses based on fake documentation obtained from a staff […]
Florida Suspends 81 Massage Therapists’ Licenses
By Joanne Kenna, J.D., R.N., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law According to a number of sources, state authorities have announced the suspension of more than 80 massage therapists’ licenses, who appear to have fraudulently obtained their licenses with the help of a Florida […]
New System for Patients to Report Medical Mistakes in the Works
By Danielle M. Murray, J.D. According to the New York Times, the government wants to implement a new system that would allow patients to report medical mistakes and unsafe practices by health care providers to a central reporting organization. This includes doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, and all other professionals or entities that provide medical treatment. While […]
Doctor Voluntarily Relinquishes License Due to Allegations of Malpractice and Over-Prescribing Oxycodone
By Danielle M. Murray, J.D., Attorney, The Health Law Firm A doctor in Polk County, Florida, has lost his license to practice medicine. Rather than risk having his license revoked in an administrative proceeding, the now former doctor offered to voluntarily relinquish his license. The Florida Board of Medicine voted to accept the voluntary relinquishment […]
Filling Phony Prescriptions for Pain Killers Lands Orlando Pharmacist Behind Bars
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Another pharmacist was led away in handcuffs during a September 25, 2012, raid on an Orlando-area pharmacy, according to a number of sources. The pharmacist is accused of filling prescriptions for oxycodone, even though he allegedly knew the […]
Locating a Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance Defense Attorney in Florida Company Cases
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We are sometimes told by the health professionals we represent especially pharmacists, licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), massage therapists and physical therapists that after they received a complaint regarding their license from the […]
Adverse Consequences of Discipline Against Your Nursing License
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law If the Florida Department of Health (DOH) takes discipline against your Florida nursing license, this will have many significant consequences. Investigation and Discipline of Other State Licenses. The discipline will be reported to every other state in which […]
Phony Pharmacist Gets Prison Time for Working at Pharmacies in Central Florida
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law On November 2, 2012, a former Altamonte Springs resident was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently working as a Central Florida pharmacist from 2000 to 2009, according to the Department of Justice […]
Recall Alert: FDA Warns Steroid Injections Compounded by Tennessee Pharmacy May Be Contaminated
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent out a warning to health care professionals that steroid injections compounded by Main Street Family Pharmacy, LLC, in Tennessee, may be contaminated. The announcement came on May 24, 2013. So […]
Two Orlando-Area Pharmacists Arrested on Charges of Allegedly Trafficking Drugs
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law Two Orlando-area pharmacists were arrested on June 4, 2013, allegedly in connection to trafficking oxycodone, according to a number of local media sources. An Orlando Sentinel article states that the pharmacists are also co-owners of an Orlando pharmacy […]
Crack Down on Unlicensed Practice of Nursing by Florida Department of Health
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida in Health Law The Florida Department of Health (DOH) recently made a presentation regarding its increased investigation and prosecution of the unlicensed practice of nursing and other health professions. More resources and more investigators are being assigned to this duty. The Department […]
Nurses: Locate a Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance Defense Attorney in Florida Company Cases
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We are sometimes told by the health professionals we represent especially pharmacists, licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), massage therapists and physical therapists that after they received a complaint regarding their license from the […]
Florida Nurse Accused of Abusing Patient
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law A Florida State Hospital licensed practical nurse (LPN) has been arrested and charged with one count of abuse of a disabled adult at the facility. The nurse was arrested on a felony warrant by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud […]
Massage Therapists (LMTs) and Massage Therapy Assistants: What You Don’t Know About Legal Matters Can Hurt You
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The attorneys of The Health Law Firm represent Licensed Massage Therapists (LMTs) and Massage Therapy Assistants in a number of different legal matters. We appear before the Board of Massage Therapy. We represent massage therapists and massage therapy […]
Florida Board of Massage Therapy Revokes More Licenses
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law The Florida Department of Health (DOH) Board of Massage Therapy met in Sunrise, Florida, on January 24 and 25, 2013. During the meeting the Board held disciplinary hearings to determine, among other matters, the fate of a number […]
Suspended Florida Massage Therapists are Being Asked to Voluntarily Relinquish Their Licenses
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law, and Christopher E. Brown, J.D. On September 19, 2012, Florida state authorities announced the suspension of more than 80 massage therapists’ licenses. They are accused of fraudulently obtaining their licenses based on fake documentation obtained from a staff […]
Florida Suspends the Licenses of 81 Massage Therapists
By Joanne Kenna, J.D., R.N., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law According to a number of sources, state authorities have announced the suspension of more than 80 massage therapists’ licenses, who appear to have fraudulently obtained their licenses with the help of an employee […]
Finding a Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO) Insurance Defense Lawyer
By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law We are sometimes told by the health professionals we represent especially pharmacists, licensed mental health counselors (LMHCs), advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), massage therapists and physical therapists that after they received a complaint regarding their license from the […]
Florida Woman Arrested for Allegedly Posing as a Nurse, Giving Botox Injections-For Second Time
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Debary Dentist Served with Emergency Suspension Order for Allegedly Inhaling Laughing Gas
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