If you're a physician with an independent medical practice, there's a good chance that you have at least one or more employees on your staff and that you have a written personnel manual or written employee policies and procedures. If so, then you should listen to today's podcast to learn 4 specific and actionable tips that you should take right now to possibly avoid an employment law problem when and if you have to fire one of your employees.

Legal Scrubs

Season 2, Episode 14 - 4 Key Actions Doctors Need to Take Right Now to Avoid a Possible Employment Law Problem with a Fired Employee

What should a health professional do when he or she gets an online review of the practice is negative and damaging to the practice's reputation? More and more prospective patients check out online reviews before deciding on which doctor or dentist to see for their medical or dental services. So, it can be very damaging for a medical or dental practice to deal with negative online reviews from patients. But great care is required in how health professionals should (and should not!) responds to negative reviews. HIPAA is implicated as are all the complexities of defamation law and the risk of an anti-SLAPP suit against the doctor or dentist by the disgruntled patient. So, doctor or dentist, beware! Listen to today's podcast episode of Legal Scrubs to learn more about what to do if your medical or dental practice is the recipient of a negative online patient review. If you find this podcast helpful, please don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any future episodes of the Legal Scrubs podcast. And, if you would, please take a moment and leave us a comment and/or a review. Thanks!

Season 2, Episode 13 - How Doctors and Dentists Should (and Should NOT) Respond to Negative Online Patient Reviews

One of the first decisions that physicians who have made the important decision to establish their own independent and entrepreneurial medical practice must make is this--what form of legal entity is the best choice for the new practice that is being started? Facts and circumstances vary from one medical practice to another, and so the decision is not one than can be made in a vacuum or with a cookie cutter approach. This podcast discusses the various options for a new medical practice in Tennessee and what the thought process could be to help physicians think through what is the best legal entity choice for their own medical practice. If you want to watch this podcast in video format, here's a link to today's video on the DPS Legal Counsel YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/6pVprYxavEo If you find this podcast helpful, please consider subscribing to the Podcast and leaving a review. Thanks for listening!

Season 2, Episode 12 - How to Choose the Right Form of Legal Entity for Tennessee Medical Practices

Season 2, Episode 11 - What is a charging order and how can it help with asset protection?

Many businesses have had to close during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although physicians and their practices are essential during this time, many doctors in private practice have also seen a decline in the number of patients visiting their practices, particularly if their medical practices provide more elective treatments and procedures. Just like other small business owners, physicians in private practice may be looking for ways to improve and increase their cash flow during this time of uncertainty. This podcast episode of Legal Scrubs discusses 5 simple things that doctors can do now to improve their cash flow for their medical practices.

Season 2, Episode 10 - How Doctors Can Increase Their Cash Flow During the COVID-19 Lockdown

The new CARES Act includes a new SBA loan program for small businesses called the Paycheck Protection Program. Among the small businesses that can possibly benefit from PPP are small independent medical practices. Listen to today's episode of Legal Scrubs to find out more about how PPP might be of interest to your medical practice.

Season 2, Episode 9 - What Physicians Need to Know Now about How the Paycheck Protection Program Can Help Their Medical Practices

Doctors in private practice are experiencing the same challenges all small businesses are during this trying time. But the new CARES Act recently signed into law provides an important benefit to physicians whose practices include Medicare patients. Physicians can request advance or accelerated payments from CMS for Medicare patients they won't even see or treat until late summer this year. And payments are supposed to be paid to doctors within about a week after an approved request is made. Cash now for future patients! Listen to today's episode of Legal Scrubs to learn more.

Season 2, Episode 8 - How Doctors Can Get Immediate Payment Now for Future Medicare Patients under the CARES Act

Doctors are busy, but they need to take some time to think about estate planning and what they should do to protect their loved ones. Taxes, asset protection, titling assets the right way, and business succession for medical practices--these are points that doctors need to know about.  

Season 2, Episode 7 - 4 Key Estate Planning Points for Doctors

Season 2, Episode 6 - During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Doctors Can Bill CMS for "Virtual" In-Person Visits with Medicare Patients Via Skype or FaceTime

Season 2, Episode 5 - Now is the Time for Tennessee Solo and Small Group Practice Physicians to Learn More about Telemedicine

The Department of HHS' Office for Civil Rights recently entered into a settlement agreement with a solo physician in private practice in Utah. The gastroenterologist paid a settlement amount to the government of $100,000 to settle alleged and potential HIPAA violations. This case arose originally out of a business dispute between the doctor and a subcontractor of his EHR company, and it demonstrates the aggressive stance that OCR may be taking with doctors who fail to undertake a risk security analysis or implement a security management plan. Business associate agreements that are tailored to the situation and regular follow-up by the medical practice is essential. Listen to today's episode of Legal Scrubs to learn at least 5 takeaways from this case that you should implement in your solo or small group practice.

Season 2, Episode 4 - A New Government Settlement with a Solo Doctor in Private Practice Puts All Medical Practices, Large or Small, on Notice

In today's Wall Street Journal, there were two stories about development in the business of medicine that all medical students and primary care doctors need to know about. One is a development in the bankruptcy case involving Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia and how that bankruptcy affects the residents there and their payment of malpractice insurance premiums. The other is the trend of health insurance companies like United Healthcare and Aetna getting directly involved in the provision of primary care physician services to patients. Listen to today's episode of Legal Scrubs to learn more.

Season 2, Episode 2 - Two New Stories That Med Students and Primary Care Docs Need to Know About

Season 2, Episode 2 - What Every Doctor Considering a Direct Primary Care Practice Must Know about Medicare

Doctors must take special care when negotiating their employment agreements to make sure that they fully understand the provision dealing with tail coverage. And if possible, doctors should try to have their employers bear the expense of tail coverage. This podcast discusses the basics of tail coverage and what doctors should consider in their negotiations with their employers.

Tail Coverage

Episode 9 How Doctors and Dentists Can Accidentally Violate HIPAA With Flawed Patient Invoices

Doctors, dentists, and nurses are great at providing healthcare services to their patients--but the modern delivery of healthcare is a business. Legal Scrubs helps healthcare professionals and solo and small healthcare practices be better at the business side of healthcare (and stay legally compliant at the same time).

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Legal Scrubs

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