Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: What Do Licensed Medical Professionals Need to Know About Administrative Hearings?

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A medical, chiropractic, nursing or other medical career is the product of a lifetime of education and hard work. As a result of your perseverance, you now have the ability to engage in a meaningful, well respected, and lucrative career. But what if your licensing is treated with suspension or revocation? What steps do you need to take to remain a member of your chosen profession? If you are licensed professional in Kansas or Missouri facing professional discipline, you must avoid going through the administrative hearing alone. Instead, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with the administrative process required to defend your license. Your career is simply worth too much to go it alone.

Expert defense of your professional license in Kansas or Missouri is the key to continuing your entire career. Without it, you stand to lose your business, your financial security and your reputation.

When your professional license is jeopardized by a threat of suspension or expulsion in a Kansas or Missouri state agency hearing, it is vital that you understand to know what to expect and how to best defend your licensure. Step one of defending your licensing is retaining experienced counsel, as just getting advice from friends will not adequately prepare you.  The procedures are different between various regulatory agencies and there may be significant legal differences in your case that only an attorney will recognize.

Your Hearing is Your Opportunity to Challenge an Initial Finding Against You

Regardless of what type of license you hold, a discipline hearing will be initiated based on an initial allegation of misconduct and some fact-finding by the administrative agency. Too many professionals misunderstand this and just “roll over” and accept whatever penalty is proposed. My experience is that challenging evidence at an administrative hearing almost always reduces the penalties from what was initially proposed, and frequently results in a complete dismissal of charges.

The administrative hearing process may be very brief, a few hours, or could take several days depending on the complexity of the allegations and evidence against you. An administrative hearing is the first opportunity for you to challenge the allegations and investigation into your conduct.  Each side has an opportunity to state their case, challenge evidence, call witnesses, and cross-examine them. After weighing both sides’ positions, an administrative judge makes a determination or finding regarding the accused’s responsibility and imposes punishment based on each side’s recommendation.

Your Administrative Hearing is Not the End of the Story

Administrative judges and administrative cases may not be the final word in your case. These can be hastily conducted affairs and tremendous deference is sometimes given to administrative agencies. An administrative decision against you can also be appealed to a court of law. Winning an appeal is not just a do-over, it takes an experienced licensing attorney who can position issues during the administrative process so that they will be more likely to be successfully appealed later.  Creating these “appeal points” requires an attorney with experience before the administrative body and the Missouri and Kansas courts.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

You deserve to be practicing your chosen profession without the fear of administrative  discipline. Contacting an experienced licensing attorney to help you through this process can mean the difference between getting back to work quickly and a drawn out process or suspension.

If you are a medical professional in Kansas or Missouri and need help with the administrative hearing process, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with licensing issues.

 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger Answers: What Could Jeopardize My Physical Therapist’s License and What Should I Do about Threatened Discipline?

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Physical therapists often contact me with concerns about misconduct allegations that may threaten their license to engage in their livelihood. As a physical therapist in Kansas or Missouri, your license to practice is the product of your dedication to education and hard work—but is only allowed by your licensure. As a result of your perseverance and license, you now have the ability to engage in a meaningful, respected, and lucrative career. But what if your physical therapy is threatened by suspension or revocation? You could lose your ability to practice and provide for your family if you are not aware of the sort of misconduct that can result in a psychology license suspension in Kansas or Missouri.

If you are licensed physical therapist in Kansas or Missouri facing professional discipline, you cannot go through the administrative hearing alone. Instead, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with the administrative process required to defend you. Your career is simply worth too much to go it alone.

Misconduct Examples

Obviously, the first step to avoiding any threat to your license is to not engage in misconduct. Unfortunately, physical therapy clients sometimes call me about types of misconduct that they were unaware of.  As a result, I have come up with the following list of some of the most common misconduct allegations that I have seen while representing physical therapy clients in Kansas and Missouri.

Revealing client or patient’s personal or treatment information without prior consent;

Engaging in a sexual relationship with a client in the midst of the therapist/client relationship;

Taking, giving, or soliciting referral fees from other medical providers;

Failing to adequately supervise employees working under the physical therapist’s license or unlawfully delegating a physical therapist’s duties to a person unqualified or uncertified to perform those duties;

Promoting goods, services, drugs, applicants or any other device for the physical therapist’s personal gain;

Defrauding patients or insurance companies by providing excessive or unnecessary treatments;

Filing false insurance claims;

Engaging in false advertising or exaggerating qualifications in advertising;

Failing to keep adequate patient records;

Overcharging for physical therapy services or continuing services beyond what is necessary to help a patient.

The Administrative Hearing

For physical therapists in Kansas and Missouri, a discipline hearing will be initiated based on an initial allegation of misconduct and some fact-finding by the administrative agency. Any one of the above allegations, if proven, is sufficient to suspend or revoke a physical therapy license. Additional penalties, such as fines and requirements for additional training, are also possible.

Too many physical therapists misunderstand this step in the process and just accept whatever penalty is proposed. My experience suggests that presenting a vigorous challenge to the evidence presented at an administrative hearing almost always reduces the penalties from what was initially proposed and frequently results in a complete dismissal of charges.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

You deserve to be practicing physical therapy without the fear of administrative discipline. Contacting an experienced licensing attorney to help you through this process can mean the difference between getting back to your clients and a suspension or revocation of your license.

If you are a physical therapist in Kansas or Missouri and are worried about misconduct costing you your career, call attorney Sanger now.

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with physical therapy licensing issues.

 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger Answers: How Can a Pharmacy Audit Affect My License?

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Pharmacists often contact me with deep concerns when they learn that they are undergoing a pharmacy audit. They often fear that allegations may arise from the audit that will jeopardize their license—the ongoing opioid epidemic has only heightened these concerns. As a pharmacist in Kansas or Missouri, your ability to practice is only allowed by your licensure. As a result of your perseverance and license, you now have the ability to engage in a meaningful, respected, and lucrative career. But what if your pharmacy is threatened by suspension or revocation? You could lose your ability to practice and provide for your family if you are not aware of the sort of problems that can be discovered during a pharmacy audit in Kansas or Missouri.

If you are licensed pharmacist in Kansas or Missouri facing an audit or professional discipline, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with the administrative process required to defend you. Your career is simply worth too much to go it alone.

The Pharmacy Audit

All pharmacies go through scheduled and random audits to make sure that they are safely dispensing drugs in the best interest of the community. Again, this has become a more important public policy issue as communities grapple with the opioid epidemic. Auditors are examining record-keeping, costs, and compliance with drug laws during their review. Even a safe and compliant pharmacy can run into problems if it handles its audit poorly. Below are some considerations to prevent a bad audit from ruining your career.

Routine Audits

As a licensed pharmacist, you are aware that routine audits occur on a fairly predictable schedule each year. There is no excuse not to be prepared for these audits, and a failure to prepare for them is inexcusable given the ramifications of a bad audit. I recommend that client contact me to help them through these audits; I routinely review the pharmacists’ records and advise about how to present the best possible face to auditors. For less experienced pharmacists, I can also provide an overview of the audit process and highlight common pitfalls that less experienced pharmacists sometimes fall prey to.

Random Audit

While a random audit is one that is not prescheduled, you should conduct your pharmacy practice anticipating a random audit at any time.  Contacting an experienced licensing attorney immediately upon receipt of a notice of a random audit is vital. An experienced licensing attorney can advise you quickly about what preparation can make the most significant difference in the audit’s outcome. Obviously, not having serious problems is the best way to avoid a bad audit finding, and you should always make sure that your staff are following best practices.

Post-Audit Representation

If you have already been subject to an audit resulting in issues with your practice having issues flagged, you must call an experienced Kansas and Missouri licensing attorney immediately. Reviewing any audit reports and clarifying issues that the state or DEA may have with your practice is crucial, as is representation before either of these bodies.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

You deserve to run your pharmacy without the fear of administrative discipline. Contacting an experienced licensing attorney to help you through the pharmacy audit process can mean the difference between getting back to helping your customers and a suspension or revocation of your license.

If you are a pharmacist in Kansas or Missouri and are worried about an audit or misconduct costing you your career, call attorney Sanger now.

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend you. Call Attorney Sanger at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with licensing issues.

 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: Misconduct Allegations that Can Ruin a Nursing Career

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The public has a high degree of respect for nurses. Allegations of misconduct, even misconduct unrelated to your profession and occurring outside of work, can derail a nurses career with a license suspension or revocation. Because nurses enjoy the public’s trust, any allegation that calls that trust into question can threaten your license.  

If you are a Kansas or Missouri nurse and allegations of misconduct arise against you, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for nurses facing occupational discipline. You do not have time to waste and can damage your career by trying to deal with these allegations without professional help.

Allegations Involving Conduct Outside of the Workplace

A disciplinary action can be triggered by a wide variety of behaviors.  The following is a list of types of conduct that I have seen trigger investigations into clients’ licensure:

• Shoplifting

• Falling behind on child support payments

• Urinating in public

• Domestic abuse

• Having a restraining order against you

• Public intoxication

• Harassment or stalking

• Fighting

• Failing to file income taxes

This list represents conduct that a nurse may irresponsibly engage in outside of the workplace. But because there may a criminal citation or a mention of the conduct in the local “police blotter,” the employer finds out about the conduct and an investigation ensues.  There is a real question whether this conduct, which has occurred outside of the work environment, can be used against a nurse to pursue professional discipline. Thus, if these sorts of incidents occur and trigger an investigation, it is vital that you contact a licensing attorney immediately.

Allegations Involving Conduct In the Workplace

The above are just a selection chosen to show the diversity of conduct that can trigger an investigation. Boundary violation, such as having a sexual relationship with a patient or treating a patient with whom you have a financial relationship is also a frequent cause for investigation. In urban areas of Kansas or Missouri, it may be easy to simply hand off a patient with whom your relationship is too close. But in smaller communities or medical centers, that sort of handoff may be more complex and may be impossible to do without revealing your inappropriate relationship.

Drug and alcohol abuse is a problem in the nursing community; when that abuse is present in the workplace, it routinely results in serious allegations of misconduct and significant repercussions for the accused’s nursing license. If your use of drugs or alcohol is out of your control, get help.

Finally, social media has become an increasingly significant source of misconduct allegations. You have probably heard of the nurses who were suspended from duties for mocking and deriding newborn babies in videos that were later posted on-line. Remember that your social media profile is an extension of you and your professional identity—guard it.

What Should You Do If You Are Accused of Misconduct?

There is no time to waste if you are accused of misconduct. Too many nurses try to talk their way out of these allegations, with dire consequences. You should not respond to an investigation until you have attained representation by a skilled licensing attorney. Having a zealous advocate by your side challenging the validity of the evidence against you and cross-examining those who testify against you is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

If you are a nurse in Kansas or Missouri and are facing an allegation of a boundary violation, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for nurses facing occupational discipline. 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: Can My Dental License Be Reinstated?

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A dental career is the product of a lifetime of education and hard work. As a result of your drive, you have the ability to engage in a meaningful, well respected, and lucrative career. But what if your dental license lapses, is suspended or is revoked? What steps do you need to take to return to your chosen profession? If you are a Kansas or Missouri dentist seeking to be reinstated call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an attorney experienced dealing with the reinstatement of dental licenses. 

Reinstating a Dental License in Kansas or Missouri

A dentist’s license can be suspended, expired, or revoked for a number of reasons. If it is simply lapsed because the dentist moved out of state or wanted to change professions, it will likely be less of a task to reinstate than if the license is suspended or revoked as a result of misconduct.

If your license was suspended or revoked as a result of misconduct, beyond the normal reinstatement steps, you likely also have to complete whatever terms that the state Dental Board wrote into your sanction. Whether that was a certain length of suspension without incident, certification that you are no longer drug or alcohol dependent, or proof that your record or billing is now being handled by a responsible third party, you will have to prove that you have fulfilled these obligations by submitting thorough documentation in addition to the normal reinstatement steps.

Time is also a factor. As you can imagine, if your license has been inactive for twenty years, there will be a legitimate concern that you are no longer proficient. As a result, there is a different process for reinstating your license depending on the length of time your license has been expired, suspended or revoked.

Short-Term Inactivity

If your dentistry license has been inactive for any reason for less than five years, the process for reinstatement is less burdensome than if it has been inactive longer than five years. You will need to submit documentation proving that you have had 48 hours of continuing education in the past three years and pay an application fee.

Long-Term Inactivity 

If more than five years have passed since your license was active, then you will have to show that you have practiced in some other jurisdiction for three out of the last five years or an affidavit of military service. Additionally, you will have to produce documentation of 48 hours of continuing education within the last three years and a certification of basic life support training by the American Heart Association or American Red Cross.

Reinstatement After Military Service

The above requirements do not apply if you are applying to reinstate your license after military service. So long as your application for reinstatement is made within two years, you will be automatically reinstated without any fees or requirements.

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

You deserve to be practicing dentistry again and should not let your inactive Kansas or Missouri dental license stop you. Contact an experienced licensing attorney help you through the reinstatement process can mean the difference between getting back to work quickly and a drawn-out process. 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: Do Not Let Allegations Around Boundary Violations Derail Your Nursing Career

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Given nurses’ backbreaking workload and extensive one-on-one contact with patients, allegations of misconduct stemming from “boundary violations” are not a surprise. These allegations can ruin a career, as they not only suggest that the nurse has had some form of inappropriate relationship with a patient, but that he or she can also not be trusted. If you are a Kansas or Missouri nurse and allegations of boundary violations have arisen against you, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for nurses facing occupational discipline. 

“Stepping over the line” with a patient is all too easy to do. Whether it is showing them inappropriate affection, accepting or giving gifts, or exchanging personal information, boundary violations imply that you are improperly taking advantage of your personal relationship with a patient.

Patient Boundaries

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing describes “boundaries” as a space between the nurse’s power and the patient’s helplessness. A boundary violation can arise in one of three ways:

• Boundary crossing: This may include accepting gifts from a patient, sharing personal information or allowing the patient to develop a dependence or comradery beyond what is therapeutically necessary. These behaviors may seem innocent but can easily lead to misunderstandings or more serious breaches.

• Boundary abuse: Commonly, nurses step over the line through privacy violations. NCSBN adds that if you engage in any behavior with a patient that has no therapeutic value, you may be violating the boundary.

• Misconduct: Inappropriate relations with a patient do not have to be sexual to be forbidden. While physical contact of a personal nature with a patient, including kissing, is a violation of conduct, even discussing having a relationship or using suggestive language while a patient is in your care violates the boundary. This rule extends to family members of the patient.

Allegations that you have engaged in behavior that constitutes any of these boundary violations may result in the suspension or revocation of your nursing license. 

What Happens After an Allegation of a Boundary Violation?

As a licensing attorney, I always try to achieve the best possible outcome for my client. There are always two roads to that outcome, negotiating some sort of deal or going to a hearing. Obviously, a negotiated penalty is attractive because it is a low-risk choice with a known outcome. On the other hand, a hearing is a high-risk choice with a possibility of prevailing with no discipline or losing and facing an unknown penalty.

Preparing for a hearing and challenging the evidence being used against you is the vital to both prevailing ultimately at a hearing and to getting the best possible offer of a lesser penalty. Excluding hearsay—rumors and other unsubstantiated statements—against you, challenging the validity of evidence, and making an administrative board second-guess the strength of the case against you will result in their settlement offer becoming increasingly favorable to you. 

In my experience, administrative hearing boards and their experienced attorneys make “low ball” settlement offers to unrepresented nurses early on in cases. Without the advice of counsel, these offers may seem like generous ways to avoid the extreme penalties that could be imposed after a hearing.  However, what licensing attorneys know is that the case against you always has flaws, and that “low ball” offer is simply a first attempt to get you to give up on a hearing where those flaws may be exposed. Those offers are to be avoided, especially when they include permanent discipline, prohibitions on working for periods of time, or other onerous conditions. 

After hiring a licensing attorney with experience before the board seeking to discipline you, the offers to settle usually get much more attractive. An aggressive challenge to the evidence against you and a willingness to go to a hearing often results in a dismissal of charges of misconduct. But that sort of outcome is not going to come about without an experienced advocate by your side.

I sometimes urge clients to accept reasonable offers when the risk of a serious penalty after a hearing is simply too great to accept. Sometimes clients accept deals because their fear of an unknown outcome drives their decision-making. That said, the decision to settle a case instead of going to a hearing is ultimately yours. 

Contact an Experienced Kansas and Missouri Licensing Attorney Now

There is no time to waste if you are accused of a boundary violation. Too many nurses try to talk their way out of these allegations, try to represent themselves before licensing boards, or accept “low ball” initial offers with long-lasting consequences. You should not respond to an investigation until you have attained representation by a skilled licensing attorney. Having a zealous advocate by your side challenging the validity of the evidence against you and cross-examining those who testify against you is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

If you are a nurse in Kansas or Missouri and are facing an allegation of a boundary violation, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for nurses facing occupational discipline. 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: A Cautionary Tale of Physician Misconduct

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There is an opioid epidemic in the United States. As a result, there is increasing attention on doctors who prescribe opioids and an eagerness to blame those doctors for the tragedy caused by opioids. Given that backdrop, it is not unusual for doctors to find themselves accused of misconduct involving prescriptions. Some doctors are too informal with how they handle these powerful drugs, but others are wrongly accused by patients who make accusations when their doctors cut off their opioid supply. If you are a Kansas or Missouri doctor and allegations of misconduct are made against you, call attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for physicians facing occupational discipline. 

A Cautionary Tale of Misconduct by a Medical Professional

In Maryland, Dr. Walter Kozachuk routinely sold opioid prescriptions to patrons at a bar, selling prescriptions for anti-anxiety drugs and painkillers for $100 each. As a result of this conduct, the Maryland medical board suspended his medical license for two years. He appealed that suspension, and on December 15, 2017, a Maryland appeals court upheld the suspension.

Avoiding Misconduct Allegations in Your Medical Practice

The opioid epidemic did not just happen accidentally. These powerful drugs became widely and illegally distributed for a number of reasons—drug-seeking patients learned how to game the system, doctors blinded by greed ignored abuse, and unethical clinic managers made the drugs easier to attain than they should have been. Those are the sources of the problem; accordingly, you must do whatever you can to avoid those problems if you want to stay clear of misconduct allegations. The following is some of the most common advice that I give clients who ask how to avoid these problems.

First, do not associate with clinics that have a reputation as a “pill mill,” as they usually earned that reputation. Second, avoid practicing alone, where lapses will go unchecked; instead, associate with a group and hold each other accountable. Third, be scrupulous with your record keeping. Good record keeping is your best defense when allegations of misconduct arise, and sloppy records can appear incriminating, even in instances when you have done nothing wrong. Carefully documenting the identity of who you prescribed to is key. Fourth, pay close attention to your staff and hold them to the same high standard of professionalism that you hold yourself to. Your staff can be your Achilles heel, engaging in illegal activity that you would never contemplate, but that you will be held responsible for. Finally, never allow a non-physician to control your practice, keep sole control of your books, or have sole access to your medical records.

What Should You Do If You Are Accused of Misconduct?

There is no time to waste if you are accused of misconduct. You have spent your entire life working towards becoming a physician, but your profession can be taken from you in an instant.  Too many physicians try to talk their way out of these allegations and then call me. By then, your novice attempt has usually given those investigating you everything they need. You should not respond to an investigation until you have attained representation by a skilled licensing attorney. Having a zealous advocate by your side challenging the validity of the evidence against you and cross-examining those who testify against you is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

If you are a nurse in Kansas or Missouri and are facing a misconduct allegation, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for physicians facing board discipline. 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: What to Do if You Are Confronted About Misconduct

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Whether you are a doctor, a nurse, a pharmacist, or physical therapist, your license is one of your most important possessions and is critical to your livelihood. While it took you years to attain your license, it can be taken from you in an instant because of a simple mistake or lapse of judgment.

As an experienced licensing attorney, clients often ask what to do if they are confronted with allegations of misconduct or are being investigated. Before I get into those individual ways, I must stress that if you find yourself being investigated, there is no time to waste, contact a professional licensing attorney immediately. The following are the five of the most commonly seen ways that medical professionals lose their licenses

As a medical professional, you are accustomed to being trusted and listened to.  So when an investigation into your conduct is initiated, it can be difficult to know how to respond to people questioning your credibility and judgment. Remember, because this is not a criminal investigation, no one is going to read you your Miranda warning even though everything you say can be used against you later.

What Should You Do if You are Confronted About Misconduct?

You could be confronted at work regarding misconduct for many reasons.  Again, remember that anything you say will be used against you later and that you are unlikely to be able to “talk your way out of” the allegations against you. That initial confrontation will likely catch you by surprise, and in that emotional state you are unlikely to do much to help your defense. Be polite, but request to speak with an attorney before making any statement regarding the allegations against you or providing any urine or hair samples. Your employer or human resources may try to reassure you by stating that your statements will be held confidentially, but that promise—even if it is true—does not mean that they cannot take employment action based on those statements.

What Should You Do if You are Arrested in the Workplace?

Obviously being arrested for a criminal matter in the workplace is a serious matter and you will need criminal representation immediately. Even a minor criminal conviction can have serious impacts on your professional licensing. You will likely be obligated to report your conviction to your licensing board, either immediately or upon renewal.  Do not try to get away with omitting your conviction. Lying about a conviction is often held to be more serious than the conviction itself. That said, if you are convicted and disclose it, you may be subjected to disciplinary action. You will need an experienced licensing attorney who has appeared before administrative boards to represent you.  Attorney Sanger has exactly that sort of experience and can best position you to avoid a suspension or loss of license.

What Should You Say to an Investigator?

When investigators contact you, be polite and ask to speak to your attorney prior to making any statement.  While an investigator may make you feel like you should help them or that being cooperative will better your predicament, these are just techniques aimed at procuring a statement from you. Once you have retained counsel, your counsel may make a statement on your behalf or help you prepare for an official interview.

Obtain Legal Help Now

If you are a medical professional in Kansas or Missouri and are facing an investigation or threat to your license, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for medical professionals.

 

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger Explains What Physicians Should Do if Accused of Cheating on Board Examinations

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As a physician, your board certification is your ticket to a career and livelihood. I am sometimes asked whether that board certification can be jeopardized by allegations of cheating. The answer to that question is definitely “yes.’ If you find yourself asking this question because you have been accused of cheating on a board examination, you need to retain a competent licensing attorney immediately so that your medical license can be protected proactively. The Sanger Law Office has a long track record of successfully providing this sort of defense to Kansas and Missouri physicians.

It caught most licensing attorneys attention in 2010 when the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) investigated and sanctioned 139 physicians accused of participating in cheating on a board exam. This is a cautionary tale for anyone taking an exam to attain board certification, as the penalties for these physicians were severe. Specifically, they had their board certifications revoked or suspended for one to five years. As you can imagine, that sort of delay in being able to practice in your chosen specialty has tremendous financial and reputational harm.

Steps To Take if You Are Accused of Cheating on a Board Certification Exam:

This is simply too serious a situation to try to resolve it on your own.  Hire an experienced licensing attorney immediately. Attorney Sanger has the experience you need to successfully represent you before professional and administrative bodies. Be honest with your attorney.  He or she can only represent you if they possess all of the relevant facts.  The worst thing for your defense is for your attorney to be caught off guard by facts they were unaware of.

Do not share your story on social media, in emails, or in writing.  Those communications can easily be shared and passed along to the professional or administrative body investigating you.

Inform your employer that these allegations have been made against you. Being forthcoming about this situation may preserve your position and will show that you are acting in good faith. If you alert your employer to these allegations, you may be able to renegotiate your contract, take on different duties, and otherwise preserve your livelihood while these allegations are pending.

Keep track of deadlines. Make sure that your attorney is aware of deadlines and that all deadlines are met. If you need an extension, ask for it in writing and make sure any approval is also in writing. Hiring an attorney to keep track of deadlines and filing requirements is the best way to manage these complex requirements..

What Should You Do If You are Accused of Cheating?

You have rights if you are accused of cheating on a board certification exam.  You have a right to due process before a decision is made that strips you of your career.  This is not the sort of due process you might see in a courtroom, but it is no less important. Having a zealous advocate by your side challenging the validity of the evidence against you and challenging or cross-examining those who testify against you is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

If you are a doctor in Kansas or Missouri and are facing a threat to your board certification, call Danielle Sanger today.

Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for physicians facing occupational discipline.

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger: Why Do False Claims of Sexual Misconduct Arise

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False claims of sexual misconduct arise against medical professionals, and those claims jeopardize your professional licensure. Whether you are a doctor, a nurse, or physical therapist, your license is critical to your livelihood. While it took you years to attain your license, a claim of sexual misconduct can it can be taken from you in an instant because of a false claim. But why would someone make a false claim against you?

Before answering this question, it’s critical to understand that if a claim of sexual misconduct is made against you, you must retain experienced licensing counsel immediately. Given their nature, there is often little or no physical evidence supporting these claims, so having a skilled attorney that can attack your accuser’s motives and credibility is vital. Attorney Sanger has represented hundreds of medical professionals in Kansas and Missouri and is the sort of advocate you need by your side if your licensure is threatened.

Revenge or Refusal to Perform Illegal Procedures

Patients sometimes ask their medical professionals to lie on their behalf. Whether the lie is to extend a disability benefit that they no longer have a right to or to access painkillers that they no longer need, some patients have a motive to get a medical professional to cheat the system and provide them with undue benefits. If the medical professional refuses, the patient threatens or makes an allegation to attain leverage or revenge. Obviously, any such requests by patients need to be refused. Your refusal should be documented should your actions or credibility need to be established later.

Self-Gratification

Being sexually attracted to other people is normal. Patients sometimes proposition medical professionals sexually. Hopefully, the professional possesses the requisite level of character to refuse such offers. Unfortunately, while the medical professional acted appropriately, the refusal can anger the patient, who then makes a claim out of self-gratification.  That means that the claim is driven by either retaliation for being rebuked or the fantasy of a mentally unstable patient. If a patient propositions you sexually, it is again important to document the proposition and refusal in case a subsequent false claim arises.

Money

False claims of sexual misconduct sometimes arise because the patient believes the medical provider will pay them to be quiet or go away. There is a common perception that medical providers have money to burn, so some patients believe that their false claims could result in a high dollar payout. Even if you could pay your way out of the problem, however, you are just prolonging the problem. A patient paid once will return for more later. This is never a satisfactory way of dealing with a claim of sexual misconduct. The payment themselves will make you look guilty, and there is still no reason the patient cannot make a formal claim of misconduct.

With the help of experienced counsel, you can successfully defend your license from a claim of sexual misconduct. But trying to deal with the situation informally or on your own will likely end in disaster. Only an experienced licensing attorney can protect your licensure as a medical professional and your livelihood.

If you are a medical professional in Kansas or Missouri and are facing a claim of sexual misconduct, call Danielle Sanger today.

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger is prepared to advocate for your best interests and defend your livelihood and career. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced and aggressive attorney for medical professionals.