Last Updated on: 13th October 2023, 05:17 pm

Lawyers For Urgent Care Centers

Urgent care centers are becoming more and more popular these days. People like the convenience and affordability they offer for treating minor illnesses and injuries. But operating an urgent care center involves dealing with a lot of complex regulations and the potential for lawsuits if something goes wrong. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a knowledgeable lawyer on your side. This article will discuss some of the key legal issues and lawsuits that urgent care centers face, and how the right lawyer can help.

Understanding the Regulatory Environment

The regulations for urgent care centers vary quite a bit from state to state. In some states, urgent care centers don’t need to be separately licensed and can operate under an individual physician’s license. In other states, they may need to be licensed and face more oversight from the department of health. Things like certificate of need laws may dictate what services can be offered and what types of insurance are accepted. So it’s important to understand and comply with your state’s specific requirements. A healthcare lawyer that specializes in urgent care can guide you through the licensing process and help ensure you meet all the regulations.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

In many states, laws prohibit non-physicians from owning medical practices. So urgent care centers need to be set up as professional corporations or PLLCs owned entirely by physicians. An attorney can help you establish the right corporate structure to be compliant with state laws regarding corporate practice of medicine.

Staffing and Scope of Services

While regulations may dictate minimum staffing requirements, as an owner you generally have a lot of leeway in deciding what credentials your staff needs and what services you want to provide. A lawyer can advise you on what’s allowed in your state so you can customize your urgent care center’s offerings.

Medical Malpractice Liability

Unfortunately, lawsuits are a reality even for urgent care centers. Here are some of the common allegations:

• Misdiagnosis – failing to diagnose a serious condition and giving the patient inaccurate reassurance instead
• Delayed diagnosis – accurately diagnosing a condition but delaying necessary treatment
• Improper treatment – providing inadequate or inappropriate treatment that harms the patient
• Failure to transfer – not transferring a patient to the ER when needed
• Equipment issues – faulty equipment leading to misdiagnosis
• Worsening condition – actions by staff that worsen the patient’s condition

Having an experienced medical malpractice attorney can help you navigate these claims and build a strong defense when needed.

Contracts and Reimbursement

Before opening a new urgent care center, you’ll want to evaluate whether the market already has sufficient facilities and whether you’ll be able to contract with insurance networks. A lawyer can help negotiate contracts with private insurers to ensure adequate reimbursement rates.

Regulatory Compliance

Operating an urgent care center involves complying with a myriad of healthcare regulations like HIPAA, OSHA, CLIA, and more. An attorney well-versed in these areas can help ensure you meet requirements for privacy, security, workplace safety, lab testing, and other important regulations.

Buying or Selling a Center

Whether you’re looking to buy an existing urgent care center or want to sell your own, a lawyer can provide invaluable help with due diligence, negotiations, valuation, purchase agreements, and more. They can help ensure the deal goes smoothly while protecting your interests.

Partnering with Hospitals

Many urgent care centers establish beneficial partnerships with hospitals. A lawyer can assist with structuring these arrangements, which are often complex. They can help negotiate terms that are favorable for your center while complying with regulations.

Employment Law

Like any business, issues around hiring, compensation, benefits, discipline, and termination can arise. Employment attorneys can provide counsel on employee handbooks, non-compete agreements, and handling any disputes or claims.

Real Estate

If you’ll be buying or leasing property for your urgent care center, real estate attorneys can review purchase agreements and leases to get optimal terms. They can also help with zoning approvals, permits, and landlord negotiations.

Taxes

The tax implications of forming and operating an urgent care center can be complicated. A business attorney familiar with taxation can offer guidance on corporate structure, payroll taxes, property taxes, and other liabilities to minimize your tax burden.

The Right Lawyer for Urgent Care Centers

As you can see, urgent care centers require specialized legal knowledge across a range of healthcare, corporate, real estate, tax, and other practice areas. Look for an attorney or firm with specific experience advising urgent care centers in your state. They’ll understand all the unique regulations and challenges.For example, healthcare law firm Wachler & Associates focuses exclusively on advising freestanding outpatient facilities like urgent care centers and surgery centers. They offer counsel on regulatory compliance, corporate matters, litigation, transactions, and more.

Cohen Healthcare Law Group is another firm with extensive experience representing urgent care centers and other healthcare providers. Their attorneys can assist with regulatory analysis, licensure, compliance programs, reimbursement, and disputes.

The right legal guidance can help your urgent care center operate successfully within the complex healthcare environment. Partnering with knowledgeable counsel will give you confidence you’re meeting requirements, minimizing risk, and positioned for growth.