If you are a nurse, doctor, dentist, pharmacist or other healthcare worker and have been arrested for driving under the influence or any other criminal charges, the arrest could jeopardize your healthcare license.
A DUI arrest, even one that does not result in a conviction, can have an impact on your license. If you are arrested for DUI, you may be eligible for Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition Program (ARD). This is a preliminary probation program which will allow your record to be expunged after successful completion of the ARD program; however, depending on your type of healthcare license, you may still be required to notify the licensing board of this arrest. For instance, if you are a nurse, you are required to notify the Board of Nursing of criminal charges within 30 days of the filing of the charges.
Up until a few years ago, the Licensing Board would typically learn of an arrest when a licensee disclosed the arrest on the biannual renewal of the license; however, recently, the licensing boards are learning of the arrests of healthcare professionals by doing their own investigations.
If the licensing board becomes aware of your arrest, you will receive a letter from the Professional Health Monitoring Program (PHMP). This letter will typically state that it has come to the attention of the PHMP that you may suffer from some type of impairment.
It is important that you contact an attorney experienced with the licensing board before you respond to the PHMP.
Any information you gave to the PHMP can be considered against you by the licensing board if formal disciplinary charges are brought against you.
If you have been arrested on any criminal charges, please contact us. If you wait until you are notified by the licensing board, you have lost valuable time to prepare a defense on your behalf.
A criminal conviction may result in your healthcare license being placed on probation. For certain healthcare professionals, this may result in an entry in the National Practitioner Databank. If you are a doctor, this could directly affect your ability to participate in many healthcare programs such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
If you have been arrested, contact our offices immediately for a consultation. I have represented hundreds of doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other individuals in criminal cases and healthcare licensing cases before the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.