Arizona Professional License Defense Attorneys
The attorneys at Goldberg Law Group represent physicians, chiropractors, nurses, dentists, and other licensed health care providers with obtaining, maintaining and defending their Arizona professional licenses. We understand that an unrestricted professional license is of utmost importance to your reputation and livelihood. No matter how serious the allegation, you can rely on our Arizona medical license defense attorneys to vigorously advocate for you and defend your license with the Arizona professional licensing boards:
Arizona Medical Board
Arizona Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners
Arizona State Board of Nursing
Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants
Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners
Arizona State Board of Podiatry Examiners
Arizona State Board of Behavioral Health Examiners
Whether you just need assistance completing forms when applying for an Arizona professional license, or are facing potential disciplinary action, the attorneys at Goldberg Law Group will provide timely advice, sound counsel, and effective legal representation.
Arizona License Applications
Generally, there are five methods used in issuing licenses for professionals in Arizona:
Licensure by examination
Licensure by endorsement
Grandfather/waiver
Fifth pathway program
Reinstatement of revoked or surrendered license
The specific method of licensure needed may vary depending on the profession; however, each method requires specific information and specific forms. When applying for a professional license in Arizona, applications must be completed accurately and in detail to avoid processing delays or a deficiency notice. All requested information must be provided, including appropriate answers to all personal history questions. A simple error on an application can become an issue that may result in a deficiency notice.
The experienced professional license defense attorneys in Arizona at Goldberg Law Group will walk you through the application process and thoroughly address any discrepancies before they turn into major issues. If you have received a deficiency letter from a Arizona professional licensing board, the attorneys at Goldberg Law Group can assist you with understanding the basis for the deficiency and what can be done to correct it.
Complaints and Investigations
Professional licensing board complaints may be filed by anyone who interacts with the licensed provider: patients, their family members, other healthcare providers, employers and employees. Increasing awareness of this fact, aided by consumer groups and state laws which require posting patient bills of rights in waiting rooms, has led to more medical board complaints being filed and sanctions imposed. In some cases, the licensed professional may have an obligation to self-report behavior or conduct to the professional licensing board.
After a complaint is filed, the allegation(s) in the complaint is reviewed and a decision is made whether to commence an investigation. During the investigation, the board may request documents, including hospital records, medical staff records and medical staff review committee records, or any other physical evidence. In addition, the board may request a written statement from the licensed provider. At the conclusion of the investigation, the professional board will decide whether or not there is reasonable cause for pursuing disciplinary action.
A multitude of negative effects may flow from a single board complaint. Depending on the alleged offense and the board's decision on whether to proceed with disciplinary action, a provider's reputation and livelihood could be destroyed. So, the importance of properly responding to a licensing board complaint during the investigative process cannot be overstated. Still, many providers make crucial mistakes after a board complaint has been filed, which needlessly exposes them to additional professional risk.
Disciplinary Action
If the professional board determines that there is reasonable cause for disciplinary action, the licensed professional is entitled to an administrative hearing. A licensed professional has the right to legal representation at all stages of the administrative hearing process. The experienced attorneys at Goldberg Law Group have years of experience defending professionals at the Arizona professional licensing boards.
Disciplinary action can take the form of a fine, reprimand, restrictions on practice, continuing education or monitoring requirements, probation, license suspension or revocation. Doctors and other licensed healthcare providers generally are required by contract to report disciplinary actions to their employer, to professional liability carriers, state and federal healthcare programs, commercial health insurance plans, professional associations, and hospitals or health care entities that have privileged the provider. Federal law also requires that discipline against doctors be reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank. Hospitals, healthcare entities, insurance companies and government agencies regularly query the NPDB when deciding whether to associate with licensed professionals. For these reasons, it is important that the provider understand how and what information will be disclosed to third parties about any proposed disciplinary action.
The medical license defense attorneys at Goldberg Law Group will vigorously defend you and your license before the Arizona professional licensing boards. During your initial consultation, we will go over every facet of your case, including:
How you were contacted
Which party or organization filed the complaint
Your response to the complaint
The disciplinary process itself
Any formal administrative hearings you will face
License Probation Compliance
As a result of an administrative action requesting disciplinary action, the professional board may recommend disciplinary action in the form of license probation. The professional board will also impose specific terms that the licensee must adhere to during the duration of the license probation, and may require regular reporting to the board to demonstrate compliance with probation.
Compliance will all terms and aspects of a license probation are critical to restoring a professional’s license to unrestricted status. Unfortunately, many providers do not understand the terms of their license probation, which can cause them to make critical mistakes that create impediments to license restoration. The experienced medical license defense attorneys at Goldberg Law Group routinely represent licensed professionals through the process of complying with their license probation, including assistance with understanding the terms of their license probation.
Judicial Review of Final Disciplinary Action
Final decisions of a professional board disciplining a licensed provider may be appealed to the Superior Courts of Arizona. In connection with administrative review, a licensed provider may request the Superior Court to stay enforcement of the final decision pending final disposition of the appeal. An appeal must be filed with the Superior Court within 35 days from the date of the final decision. However, if a stay of enforcement is also required, it may be necessary to act faster.
The grounds for appealing a final decision of a professional licensing board vary depending on the facts and circumstances of each particular case. The professional license defense attorneys in Arizona at Goldberg Law Group regularly counsel clients about the nature and scope of judicial review available to licensed providers affected by final decisions of Arizona professional licensing boards.
Contact Michael K. Goldberg at 480-427-7444 to schedule your free initial consultation.
Arizona Office
16427 N. Scottsdale Road -
Suite 200
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
312-930-0944
Illinois Office
120 South Riverside Plaza –
Suite 1675
Chicago, IL 60606
312-930-0944
Practice Areas in Arizona
Professional Medical
Staff Discipline
Our attorneys are vigorous advocates for physicians in medical staff hearings and appeals. We work hard to protect and preserve the rights of Illinois and Arizona physicians under the medical staff bylaws and state and federal laws and defend adverse actions that threaten your membership and privileges.
Medical Staff Credentialing & Peer Review
Our healthcare attorneys routinely counsel and advise physicians with issues related to medical staff credentialing and peer review. We identify and safeguard your rights under the medical staff bylaws and applicable laws and make sure your status is presented in the most favorable light.
Corporate Formation & Organization
Healthcare providers who are interested in forming and organizing their own business must adhere to a unique set of laws and regulations. Our attorneys rely upon industry-specific knowledge gained through 40 years of experience to advise physicians, chiropractors and other healthcare service providers through the process of forming and organizing their own business.