Articles Posted in Improving Your Practice

13150124_G-e1683216085435Our healthcare and business law firm works with many providers and other allied health professionals who are beginning their journeys of opening a Medical Spa.  They have been growing in popularity across the country.  Medical Spas are unique practices in that they involve many medical and non-medical procedures.  There are many factors to consider in opening a medical spa, and this series focuses on key factors to consider when opening a medical spa in Georgia.  Although our healthcare law firm has assisted numerous clients in establishing a medical spa from the ground up, each client continues to present unique issues requiring our firm to research and analyze the nuances of each client’s intended setup.  This Georgia Medical Spa Series is intended to provide a useful overview of some key laws, rules, and regulations impacting medical spas.

This post in the Medical Spa Series provides examples of common OSHA violations for medical practices.  If you have questions regarding this blog post or would like to speak with counsel regarding opening your medical spa practice, you may contact us at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

OSHA maintains a list of Frequently Cited OSHA Standards, which can be narrowed down by industry/NAICS code.  There is not a specific med spa code, but there is a code for health care and social assistance (NAICS Code 62). Continue reading ›

HealthcareImage_062618-700x525-1-e1682709849274Our healthcare and business law firm works with many providers and other allied health professionals who are beginning their journeys of opening a Medical Spa.  Medical Spas have been growing in popularity across the country.  They are unique practices in that they involve medical and non-medical procedures.  There are many factors to consider in opening a medical spa, and this medical spa series focuses on key factors to consider when opening a medical spa in Georgia.  Although our healthcare law firm has assisted numerous clients in establishing a medical spa from the ground up, each client continues to present unique issues requiring our firm to research and analyze the nuances of each client’s intended setup.  This Georgia Medical Spa Series is intended to provide a useful overview of some key laws, rules, and regulations impacting medical spas.

This post in the Medical Spa Series focuses on General OSHA standards.  The next post outlines the most common OSHA violations for medical practices.  If you have questions regarding this blog post or would like to speak with counsel regarding opening your medical spa practice, you may contact us at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is part of the United States Department of Labor of Labor.  22 states have a OSHA-approved State Plans covering private sector and state and local government works, 7 states have OSHA-approved State Plans covering only state and local government workers, and the rest of the states operate under federal OSHA jurisdiction.  “State Plans,” OSHA.gov.  Georgia is under federal OSHA jurisdiction covering most private sector workers (not state and local government workers). Continue reading ›

Prepayment-Review-Shift-Blog-07-22-2016-e1681242443952Our healthcare and business law firm often assists medical practices in responding to medical record and coding audits initiated by private and governmental payors.  If a payor believes there are consistent concerns with a medical practice’s claims, the payor may place the practice under a prepayment review process.  This process can be very concerning to a practice and, in some cases, can place a practice at risk of shutting down.  A previous post provided an overview of standard claims processes versus a prepayment review process.  Prepayment review processes are different depending on which payor you are dealing with and whether the payor is private or government.  Herein, I provide a few tips for dealing specifically with TRICARE/Humana Military regarding a prepayment review process.  If you have questions about an insurance audit or prepayment review process or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

In a previous blog post, I presented three tips for dealing with an audit from any payor.  Those tips remain relevant for trying to end a prepayment review with TRICARE/Humana Military.  The below tips are targeted specifically for dealing with a prepayment review process with TRICARE/Humana Military that is causing harm to your business due to the lack of claims being timely paid.

Tip 1: Get Your Community Liaison Involved

As a TRICARE provider, you have a Community Liaison that you can connect with via email and through the portal.  Your Community Liaison is there to answer your questions and connect you with the right people. Continue reading ›

self-employed-health-insurance-deduction-feature-1280x720-1-e1680719330392Our healthcare and business law firm often assists medical practices in responding to medical record and coding audits initiated by private and governmental payors.  If a payor believes there are consistent concerns with a medical practice’s claims, the payor may place the practice under a prepayment review process.  This process can be very concerning to a practice and, in some cases, can place a practice at risk of shutting down.  If you have questions about an insurance audit or prepayment review process or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

Standard Claims Reimbursement Process

Generally, once a medical practice establishes a relationship with a payor, the practice can submit claims electronically that are paid without requiring individual review.  Generally, supporting documentation is not required to be submitted along with the claim. Continue reading ›

5061-dreamstime_m_28850408-e1680196937118Our healthcare and business law firm often assists provider and medical practice clients with preparing informed consents.  Many clients offer treatments in an off-label use and question whether informed consents are necessary for such use.  Currently, there is no FDA requirement to get a patient’s informed consent, but it may be beneficial for your practice to implement off-label informed consents.  If you have questions about patient consents or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

What Does “Off Label” Mean?

Off label means providing treatment and prescribing medications for conditions or using a dose different than what the FDA has approved.  To become an approved use of a drug or treatment, the FDA must “conduct a careful evaluation of its benefits and risks for that use” and ensure that use “is supported by strong scientific data.”  Continue reading ›

opioid-painkillers-crisis-and-drug-abuse-concept-o-49X49YX-e1676319930781After the CDC issued its 2016 Opioid Prescribing Guideline, which focused on recommendations for primary care physicians, many physicians greatly limited prescribing opioids.  This was in response to the opioid epidemic in our country which had an impact on reducing opioid abuse.  However, it also may have left patients undertreated for pain given the 2016 guideline’s emphasis on not prescribing opioids.  In November 2022, the CDC issued updated guidance for a broader group of clinicians.  This blog series provides an overview of the more-than-60-page CDC guidance.  This first blog will provide an overview of what the guidance is intended to accomplish and how it is presented.  Our attorneys are experienced in advising healthcare businesses and pain management practices.  If you have pain management prescribing questions or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

First, the updated guidance “is intended for clinicians who are treating outpatients aged ≥18 years with acute (duration of <1 month), subacute (duration of 1–3 months), or chronic (duration of >3 months) pain, and excludes pain management related to sickle cell disease, cancer-related pain treatment, palliative care, and end-of-life care.” Continue reading ›

nurse-practitioner-vs-primary-care-doctor-002-e1675797754824As a healthcare and business law firm, we have many clients who either are or wish to hire nurse practitioners around the country.  Each state has very specific, and often complicated, laws and rules governing nurse practitioner practices.  In 2020, Florida introduced a new law allowing certain nurse practitioners to practice autonomously, which Florida has sense been expanding on and clarifying.  Herein is an overview of Florida’s autonomous practice law. If you have scope of practice or other practice-related questions or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

Prior to the autonomous practice law, nurse practitioners could practice in Florida pursuant to a collaborative/supervisory protocol as defined by Florida Statute 464.012Florida Statute 464.0123 allows the Florida Board of Nursing to register an individual as an advanced practice registered nurse or as an autonomous advanced practice registered nurse if the nurse practitioner meets the following criteria: Continue reading ›

imagesOur healthcare and business law firm previously published a blog post on the federal telemedicine rules.  Both Federal and State rules govern the provision of telemedicine.  Each state’s rules governing telemedicine are different, but the applicable laws and rules are generally found in the state medical board’s rules, insurance codes, and when applicable, Medicaid rules.  This post focuses specifically on Florida’s telemedicine prescribing rules.  Our firm previously posted an overview of Florida’s general telemedicine rules.  Keep in mind that this post discusses the current laws as of the date written and do not include any changes to the laws after being posted.  If you have questions about telemedicine rules or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

Florida Rules on Prescribing Based on a Telemedicine Visit

Florida is rather generous in its prescribing rules for telemedicine.  Before July 1, 2022, the law restricted prescribing all controlled substances except for certain situations.  Continue reading ›

MM-0220-Telemedicine-iStock-e1581381176331-1024x814-1-e1631301250783Our healthcare and business law firm previously published a blog post on the federal telemedicine rules.  Both Federal and State rules govern the provision of telemedicine.  Each state’s rules governing telemedicine are different, but the applicable laws and rules are generally found in the state medical board’s rules or position statements, insurance code, and when applicable, Medicaid rules.  This post focuses specifically on the telemedicine rules applicable to the practice of telemedicine in Florida.  This post does not discuss telemedicine prescribing rules or Medicaid rules.  If you have questions about telemedicine rules or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

Florida Rules

The Florida telehealth rules are set out in Florida Statute 456.47, which was modified in 2022 through Senate Bill 312.  Florida allows a limited telemedicine license for those without a full medical license, but, in general, the same rules apply regardless of whether a provider has a full medical license or limited telemedicine license. Continue reading ›

iStock-1014086596-1000x500-2-e1661804634296Our healthcare and business law firm previously published a blog post on the federal telemedicine rules.  Both Federal and State rules govern the provision of telemedicine.  Each state’s rules governing telemedicine are different, but the applicable laws and rules are generally found in the state medical board’s rules, insurance code, and when applicable, Medicaid rules.  This post focuses specifically on North Carolina’s telemedicine prescribing rules.  Our firm previously posted an overview of North Carolina’s general telemedicine rules.  If you have questions about telemedicine rules or would like to discuss this blog post, you may contact our healthcare and business law firm at (404) 685-1662 (Atlanta) or (706) 722-7886 (Augusta), or by email, info@littlehealthlaw.com. You may also learn more about our law firm by visiting www.littlehealthlaw.com.

North Carolina Rules on Prescribing Based on a Telemedicine Visit

North Carolina has yet to pass any laws on telemedicine, but the North Carolina Medical Board (“Medical Board” or “NCMB”) has published telemedicine policies available on its website, here. Below is an overview of some requirements currently in North Carolina governing prescribing practices from a telemedicine visit. Continue reading ›

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