Client Alert

2015 Health Care Practice Group Year in Review

Godfrey & Kahn’s Health Care Practice Group is organized around a core group of attorneys who provide legal services to clients in the health care industry. During 2015, our practice group worked on a wide spectrum of health care matters—only a few of which are recounted below. In these situations, and many others, we helped clients achieve positive outcomes, thereby reducing risk and increasing profitability. We look forward to an exciting 2016 and will continue to work hard to provide our current clients and new clients with outstanding results. If you or your company could benefit from our services, please contact a member of Godfrey & Kahn Health Care Team. 

• Assisted large, national health care company with regulatory issues relating to successful acquisition of nonprofit hospital by for-profit hospital system, the first acquisition of its kind to be approved in the state of Wisconsin.
   
• Prepared materials for and conducted in-depth, on-site training relating to privacy and consent issues for mental health and AODA patient records.
   
• Counseled an international medical supply company on how to maintain compliance with U.S. and European Union data security laws.
   
• On behalf of a medical professional, obtained dismissal of a Medical Examining Board complaint without disciplinary action being taken.
   
• Provided human resource and union awareness training to supervisory and leadership staff of a health care provider.
   
• Reviewed employment policies and practices in wake of an aggressive NLRB focus on the impact of such policies on Section 7 rights of employees under the NLRA.
   
• Assisted an ambulance services affiliation with a major health care system.
   
• Responded to and defended against a union grievance.
   
• Filed challenging management action in regulating a practice at odds with the terms of a collective bargaining agreement.
   
• Negotiated and documented professional services agreement between physician specialty group and a medical school.
   
• Negotiated and documented promotional /sponsorship agreement between a hospital and a professional sports franchise.
   
• Negotiated settlement on behalf of a provider of a substantial recoupment demand by an insurer.
   
• Advised individual physicians, physician groups, and hospitals regarding non-compete restrictions in employment agreements.
   
• Assisted a hospital in developing strategies to respond to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Comprehensive Joint Replacement Initiative.
   
• Advised hospital regarding refusal to admit registered sex offenders as patients.
   
• Assisted Regional Health System with corporate documents related to name changes for its regional hospitals and clinics.
   
• Assisted major Regional Health Care System with affiliation of rural hospital in a neighboring state.
   
• Facilitated acquisition of independent pharmacy by health care system.
   
• Represented a health care system in the development of commercial ACOs.
   
• Assisted a client of a health care system in the development of an electronic medical record contract.
   
• Represented a health care IT company in its acquisition by another health care IT company, to obtain clearance for the transaction from the U.S. Department of Justice.
   
• Provided analysis and recommended adjustments to physician compensation plans.
   
• Assisted multiple health care facilities to successfully apply and receive 501C3 tax exempt status.
   
• Assisted client in responding to audit by State of Wisconsin Office of Inspector General regarding payments received under the Affordable Care Act. 
   
• Represented a group of physician/owners in connection with the sale and leaseback of an ambulatory surgical center and medical office building to/from a private equity group specializing in health care real estate. 
   
• Represented clients with the issuance of Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority Revenue Bond.
   
• Represented a medical device company in a patent infringement action.
   
• Negotiated a settlement for a notable health care system in a dispute concerning back-royalties under a copyright license agreement.
   
• Lead counsel on a number of dental practice acquisitions, dental practice portfolio enhancements and expansion of single location practices.
   
• Facilitated dental practice service offerings by developing and implementing a contracted sleep apnea program.
   
• Successfully negotiated joint venture between taxable and tax-exempt health maintenance organizations.
   
• Advised health tech start-up on intellectual property health care regulatory and financing matters.
   
• Negotiated sale of Medical Record Management Company.
   
• Negotiated development agreement with hotel operator and developer to enhance hospital campus.
   
• Negotiated early termination of lease and release of further liabilities of medical practice clinic client.
   
• Represented a large Wisconsin health care system in a contested disciplinary matter under a peer review procedure, including a contested hearing before a fair hearing committee under the Health Care Quality Improvement Act.
   
• Counseled a health care employer with respect to multiple claims request for family and medical leave and disability leave for an individual employee.
   
• Successfully managed the exit of a highly-compensated individual through a structured resignation agreement with multiple tiers of releases of all claims.
   
• Counseled client through claims of discrimination based on multiple theories filed with several state and federal agencies.
   
• Advised a health care provider regarding appropriately managing a threatening mental health patient