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Collaboration With Hospitals to Prevent Readmissions

By: Jeffrey S. Baird, Esq. In a June 16, 2017 article in the Harvard Business Review entitled “Value-Based Care Alone Won’t Reduce Health Spending and Improve Patient Outcomes,” David J. Bailey, M.D. (President/CEO of Nemours Children’s Health System) stated: “Despite spending twice what other developed nations spend on a per capita basis for healthcare, the […] More...

FDA Inspection: How to Respond

By: Jeffrey S. Baird, Esq. Introduction Until the 1930s, pharmacies were subject to very little government oversight. Beginning in the first half of the 20th century, particularly with the advent of the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration, the federal government began to take an increasing role in regulating pharmacies. There are […] More...

Telehealth Arrangements: Continued Scrutiny

By: Jeffrey S. Baird, Esq. Over the past four years, there has been a noticeable growth in the orthotics market. The reasons for this growth are: (i) orthotics are not covered by competitive bidding; (ii) Medicare has historically paid well for orthotics; and (iii) it is relatively easy for a DME supplier to ship orthotics […] More...

Dos and Don’ts of Marketing

By: Jeffrey S. Baird, Esq. The lifeblood of the successful pharmacy is an innovative marketing program. In implementing a marketing program the pharmacy must adhere to multiple federal anti-fraud laws. This article discusses what those laws are, how marketing programs can be properly structured, and what types of marketing programs must be avoided. Federal Anti-Fraud […] More...

Government Scrutiny and Qui Tams

By: Jeffrey S. Baird, Esq. The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) and the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) have become much more aggressive in bringing civil and criminal investigations against DME suppliers and their owners. Many investigations are a result of qui tam (whistleblower) lawsuits. This is when a disgruntled ex-employee, disgruntled current employee, or […] More...

Catch HIPAA Violations Before Patient Privacy Is Compromised

Violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) are serious offenses that will likely result in heavy fines. If an employee compromises a patient’s private health information, your facility must follow guidelines for reporting that violation. However, it is possible to catch violations before they happen. If a patient’s protected health information (such […] More...

7 Ways To Prevent HIPAA Violations In Your Healthcare Practice

Those who work in healthcare have to know every aspect of their jobs, but must also handle the additional responsibility of protecting the privacy of patients. If an employee’s actions result in a HIPAA violation, it will not only affect that employee, but also potentially jeopardize the entire organization. Healthcare facilities can face severe penalties […] More...

How Your Practice Can Avoid HIPAA Violations On Social Media

The usefulness of social media for business cannot be overstated. These websites and apps allow companies to connect with clients immediately and to advertise their services to a wide audience. Although these are great developments, as with any new technology, there is a good side and a bad side. For many people, social media also […] More...

3 Tricks To Help You Catch Potential HIPAA Violations

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires hospitals and other medical institutions to implement security procedures as safeguards for patient information. Poorly guarded information could lead to identity theft, as well as professional and personal consequences for people with compromising medical conditions or histories. The penalties for HIPAA violations are also severe for […] More...

644 North Shore Energy, L.L.C. v. Harkins, 501 S.W.3d 598 (Tex. 2016)

Richard F. Brown The following is not a legal opinion. You should consult your attorney if the case may be of significance to you. North Shore Energy, L.L.C. v. Harkins, 501 S.W.3d 598 (Tex. 2016) (per curiam) (Option to lease and geophysical trespass) is a contract interpretation case which held that the option contract […] More...