Philadelphia Healthcare Licensing Blog

Licensing board prohibits psychiatrist from practicing by himself

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Friday, November 16, 2018.

During their courses of normal duty, Pennsylvania psychiatrists often treat patients who, for one reason or other, benefit from taking prescription drugs. It is no secret that controlled substances are often highly addictive, which is why doctor supervision is so important to patient safety. A licensing board in another state says a psychiatrist failed in his obligation to carefully oversee patients for whom he had prescribed such drugs.

The doctor in question worked at a private practice on Saturdays in his community. The Office of the Attorney General in that state has announced that the doctor is one of two licensed professionals who are being suspended. For the next two years, this doctor's patients will have to seek treatment elsewhere, as he has been forbidden to practice or prescribed controlled substances during that time.

Conduct allegations can lead to medical licensing problems

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Friday, November 2, 2018.

When a Pennsylvania doctor's conduct is called into question, it can create complications for patients regarding their current health care regimens. If a medical licensing board suspends a physician's license, he or she is still obligated to help primary care patients obtain treatment elsewhere. A doctor in another state is currently going through a similar situation following reprimand and license suspension due to allegations of misconduct.

The suspension has been ordered effective immediately. A formal hearing will take place to determine the final outcome of the situation. Until that time, the doctor stands accused of violating a Board order and acting unprofessionally in connection with prescribing controlled substances.

Avoiding medication errors could save your nursing license

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn on Friday, October 26, 2018.

Being a nurse can be a thankless job. You work long hours, deal with difficult personalities whether it be a patient, a doctor or another member of the hospital staff, and you probably have far too many patients to keep track of during your shift.

Even so, you keep doing your job because you feel as though you can make a difference in people's lives. You help make them better and work diligently to make sure that you do not harm them or make them worse. Moreover, you understand that if you lose your nursing license, you lose your livelihood, so you try not to make a mistake that will end up harming you and the patient.

Facing a Pennsylvania medical licensing problem re medication?

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Monday, October 22, 2018.

Nurses in Pennsylvania and beyond go to school for a long time to obtain their licenses to practice nursing. While they may have a certain amount of field experience during training, real life situations often involve unexpected issues that can prove quite challenging to deal with. One issue that nurses face on a daily basis that can be complicated at times is administering medication to their patients. If a patient later claims that a nurse was negligent, it could lead to medical licensing problems for him or her.

To avoid medication errors, nurses typically practice a rule of thumb that includes numerous "rights." While the list may slightly vary, the main rights are always the same. The first thing a nurse must do before giving someone medication is make sure he or she is giving it to the correct patient. The nurse must also confirm that the proper medication is being administered, as well as the right dose. A nurse is also tasked to make sure the medication is being given at the right time by the right route (meaning injection, oral, etc.), and finally, that proper documentation of the medication administration takes place.

Doctor continues his medical license defense

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Friday, October 5, 2018.

If a medical licensing board suspends a Pennsylvania doctor's license, he or she may, at some point, have the opportunity to request a renewal, which, if granted, would enable to him or her to return to practicing medicine in this state. Such situations can be quite complex, however, and most physicians understand that they will face great challenges, especially if acting on their own behalf for medical license defense. There is really no need to do so, however, since strong legal support is available.

A doctor in another state may want to consider asking an experienced medical license attorney for help. He recently acted on his own behalf to ask the board that suspended his license for 90 days to allow him to return to his practice. A 3-2 vote instead extended his license suspension for an additional 90 days.

Charting mistakes can lead to disciplinary action

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn on Monday, September 24, 2018.

Among the many details that make up your day, perhaps charting is one of the most time-consuming and tedious. Even though you may dread the task, you know how important it is to keep up with the load. Whether your department has the latest computer programs for patient records or you are still using pen and paper, charting is an essential line of communication between you and others on your team.

Charting mistakes and fraud can lead to disciplinary actions, placing your career at risk. While fraud is intentionally misrepresenting the facts, mistakes are far more common. Nevertheless, if your charting mistake leads to patient injury, you may have to deal with the legal consequences.

Understanding various licensing board rulings

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Wednesday, September 19, 2018.

There are numerous situations that can cause a Pennsylvania doctor to face administrative licensing proceedings. For instance, it may occur if a patient accuses a physician of wrongdoing or if a doctor fails to adhere to protocol that governs his or her behavior in the workplace. A licensing board has the authority in appropriate circumstances to place a doctor on probation, suspend or even revoke his or her medical license.

Then again, the board may find that any charges have not been proved or otherwise do not warrant such actions. In those circumstances, the case could be dismissed with no disciplinary action against the doctor whatsoever. With regard to probation, suspension and revocation, each administrative action is unique and levied against a doctor for different reasons.

Licensing board suspends doctor until 2020

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Monday, September 10, 2018.

If a Pennsylvania doctor is placed on suspension, he or she is then prohibited from practicing medicine in the state unless and until such time that the suspension is officially lifted. A licensing board in another state has suspended a particular doctor there until 2020, following the death of one of his patients. The decedent's family is blaming the doctor for negligence, saying their loved one might still be alive if the doctor had not over-prescribed narcotics.

It is not uncommon for doctors to prescribe numerous types of narcotics. Each doctor is called upon to diagnose and treat every patient according to the circumstances of his or her condition. Some people take three, four or more prescription medications per day.

Licensing board temporarily suspends Pennsylvania doctor

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Thursday, August 30, 2018.

A man who has been a practicing doctor in Pennsylvania for nearly 30 years is facing serious legal and administrative problems at this time. Any other physician in this state who is worried about licensing board sanctions may want follow this case. For the time being, the doctor in question has been suspended and asked to surrender his medical credentials.

The physician is facing charges for writing illegal prescriptions. Officials say that for several years, he would fly back from the West Coast where he normally resides and spend time in his Pennsylvania office, writing prescriptions for cash. He supposedly sold more than 82,000 pills in approximately three years' time.

Protect your rights and career in a licensing board hearing

On behalf of Brian Quinn of The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn posted in Medical Licensing on Friday, August 24, 2018.

As a licensed professional in Pennsylvania, there are numerous personal or criminal issues that may have an immediate or long-term impact on your career. If something happens that results in you being called to a licensing board hearing, you may feel stressed and worried about your future. While it's possible to go it alone when appearing before the board, it is not necessary and, in fact, may not be the best choice possible.

Most physicians or other professionals who succeed in defending or restoring their licenses credit their successes to the type of support they sought before attending their hearings. An experienced medical license attorney is a great asset to have on hand. Knowledge of administrative and criminal law is an attribute that can be applied to help you try to avoid a license suspension or to regain your practice privileges if you've incurred a suspension.