When I was in Law School, I worked for the Attorney Generals Office in Richmond and my boss Roscoe Roberts was Board Counsel to the Board of Medicine. This meant we attended all Board of Medicine hearings and advised what actions were permitted etc. I witnessed scared doctors being asked to defend their actions, and sometimes, all they needed was a little legal advice to make the process easier.
What does the Board of Medicine do, you may ask? It is the self-policing agency for Physicians in Virginia. They license Physicians and consider complaints against them for conduct.
Ultimately, the Board has the statutory authority to revoke or suspend a Physician’s license to practice medicine should a complaint be deemed valid.
This is very scary for all involved. Sometimes, the charges or allegations may be frivolous. Sometimes they are very serious and do warrant suspension. One Physician this past November, was suspended because she was found to close her office without warning, failed to keep accurate records, failed to renew medications, failed to return calls, etc. You can read the Board’s findings here.
Not all of the cases before the Board warrant action however, and sometimes, it is best for physicians to have legal counsel to help advise them on the law, how to act, respond etc.
Although we do not represent Medical Providers in Malpractice cases, we will help nurses, chiropractors, vets, physicians etc – before state licensure boards.
To read more about our Administrative Practice – check out our website. We never want someone to be punished or have their license suspended, unless their actions are egregious. Often, these complaints do not warrant such measures and we are honored to help clear the air.