As a hospital or health system, you face the same business and legal challenges as other corporations. However, you couple those challenges with stiff regulations, attention to patient care, concern during public health emergencies and complex reimbursement issues. To effectively manage these competing priorities, you need legal advice tailored to your organization.

The Faegre Baker Daniels health care team understands the complex issues you face every day. We represent large nonprofit and for-profit health systems throughout the Midwest and the western United States. Whether you are implementing expansion strategies, developing compliance plans, commencing a physician-hospital relationship, improving daily operations or facing litigation, we use our firsthand industry experience to help you achieve your goals.

Compliance

As you juggle numerous government requirements, we guide you into compliance with Medicare reimbursement guidelines, enrollment and licensure requirements, HIPAA privacy standards, electronic health records adoption, EMTALA, the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Act and other regulations. We help you develop internal compliance programs, draft corporate integrity agreements and conduct audits to monitor progress.

Litigation

Hospitals often face litigation or investigations related to compliance issues. When you are faced with accusations, we navigate the nuances of health care law on your behalf and defend you in courts and before regulatory agencies. Throughout the process, we provide crisis management and communication to preserve your reputation.

Operations

The operational issues you face are significant. Patient consent matters, advance directives, substituted consent and withdrawal of life support pose daunting challenges. Physician recruitment, contracts, and non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements add industry-specific complexity to your employment matters. We can draft documents and advise on operational matters to keep your health system running smoothly.

Transactions

Strategies for growth are vital to any organization's success. Our professionals have facilitated numerous mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances involving hospitals and health systems and have established accountable care organizations. We also restructure health systems that are seeking fresh direction. If you are preparing to open a new facility, we can assist in securing public financing.