Experienced Augusta Lawyers Advise on Medical Regulatory Compliance

Skilled attorneys provide reliable guidance for medical facilities and practices in eastern Georgia

Augusta, Georgia is home to University Hospital and a medical district that employs more than 25,000 people. This district adds an estimated $1.8 billion annually to the local economy. However, the medical industry is subject to various state and federal regulations that individual practitioners and facilities must follow. Compliance can be complex, but falling out of compliance exposes professionals and institutions to potentially crushing liability. For trustworthy assistance with medical regulatory compliance, you can rely on Joseph T. Rhodes Law Firm. Our Augusta firm has the knowledge and experience to advise your medical office, clinic or hospital on up-to-date protocols that keep your patients and your practice safe.

Established firm advises on major medical regulations that must be observed

Medical regulations are intended to protect patient privacy and quality of care. In Augusta and throughout Georgia, healthcare providers must comply with these major regulations:

• Stark Law — This federal law attempts to eliminate conflicts of interests in the medical field by prohibiting physician self-referral. Specifically, a physician for a Medicare or Medicaid patient cannot refer that patient to an entity that provides health services if the physician has a financial relationship with the entity.
• Medicare and Medicaid — These landmark federal programs, designed to give medical assistance to seniors and the poor, are frequent targets of fraud and abuse. Providers must comply with numerous requirements to prevent even the appearance of impropriety.
• HITECH Act — The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act was passed in 2009 to incentivize movement by healthcare providers toward electronic health records (EHR) and supporting technology. The law anticipated an expansion in the sharing of EHR between healthcare providers and so added additional privacy and security requirements. The law initially provided monetary incentives for compliance but now imposes penalties for noncompliance.
• HIPAA — The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was enacted to modernize the flow of healthcare information and to regulate the ways in which the healthcare and healthcare insurance industries handled personally identifiable information to protect against fraud and theft.

Our attorneys draw on decades of experience to answer your questions on regulatory compliance and to help you implement protocols that protect your patients and your practice. We are easily accessible to provide ongoing guidance as needed.

Medical practice formation and governance

If you, by yourself or with associates, want to form a private medical practice in the greater Augusta area, our firm is ready to help. Our business attorneys have ample experience with entity formation and can advise you on the best entity for your circumstances, such as:

• Corporation
• Limited liability company (LLC)
• Partnership

The form your practice takes impacts various governance issues, such as ownership, decision-making, liability, profit-sharing, taxation, and ultimately whether the practice can be sold and how it might be dissolved. When you consult our firm, you get personalized attention from a knowledgeable attorney who is committed to helping your success. We answer all your questions on issues related to formation and governance so you can start your practice off on a firm foundation.

Contact a reliable medical compliance attorney in Augusta for a free initial consultation

Joseph T. Rhodes Law Firm represents individual and institutional healthcare providers in Richmond, Columbia and Burke counties. To learn how our firm can help you with regulatory compliance, entity formation or corporate governance, call 706-496-1616 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation at our Augusta office.