Hospitals

Attorneys at Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett, P.C. have extensive knowledge of the various legal issues that hospitals face on a daily basis. We have years of experience working with hospitals and similar medical facilities of all sizes. Our services include the following:

Business & Tax

Business Organization & Financing

Our business attorneys have been involved in the organization, implementation, and corporate restructuring of a variety of healthcare organizations, including joint ventures and management arrangements. We have up-to-date knowledge of tax-exempt bonds, notes, and other financing methods, and we are experienced in negotiating construction contracts and assisting organizations through the various building code, zoning, and subdivision approval processes. We also have experience in assisting healthcare organizations in qualifying for tax-exempt status, as well as maintaining compliance with the most recent tax-exempt rules and regulations.

Governance

Our attorneys are experienced in drafting and revising bylaws and are intimately familiar with ever-changing governance issues, including conflict of interest and confidentiality policies. Our attorneys advise and serve on the boards of many charitable organizations and have made numerous presentations on corporate governance and operation to a variety of nonprofit boards. We are also equipped to advise hospitals on corporate and governance strategies, as well as endowment fund creation and development.

Regulatory Compliance

Regulations governing hospitals become more numerous and complex each year. Members of our firm are knowledgeable about the various regulations and nuances of HIPAA, the Pennsylvania Health Care Facilities Act, and Department of Health and Human Services and Pennsylvania Department of Health rules and regulations. We provide counsel on fraud and abuse issues, Anti-Kickback regulations and safe harbors, Stark Law regulations, and other similar regulations affecting healthcare entities. We understand how these regulations can affect your organization and your operations. We can also answer your questions on medical records issues, third party payer and reimbursement matters, and general administrative concerns.

Labor & Employment

Managing employees effectively is critical to providing quality care to your patients. Our labor and employment attorneys can help you do so by educating your supervisory staff on union avoidance, performance management, discipline, employee relations, wage and hour law, sexual harassment, and interviewing and hiring methods. We can also assist you in developing policies, procedures, and handbooks that will not only help prevent employment claims and issues, but also create a fair environment and motivated work force. We will help you stay in compliance with the numerous employment regulations such as ERISA, FMLA, ADA, and HIPAA. When problems do occur, we will draw on our wealth of experience to defend against union organizing activity or to deal with the NLRB, the EEOC, the Department of Labor, and other administrative agencies. We are also experienced in various medical staff matters and in dealing with credentialing and privileging issues.

Workers' Compensation

Our experienced workers’ compensation practitioners not only provide assistance in handling injury claims, but also in prevention and risk reduction. We have knowledge and experience in successfully handling all facets of the workers’ compensation claims process.

Litigation

Risk Management

Hospitals are particularly vulnerable to malpractice claims. When these matters occur, they can quickly consume your time, effort, and financial resources. Our litigation attorneys can provide sound advice on how to prevent and avoid incidents that may result in claims – saving you time and money so you can focus on patient care.

Claims Management & Litigation

In the event that you do face an incident or claim, our civil and workers’ compensation litigators can help you manage it. Whether it is a claim of malpractice, contractual issue, work injury, or labor problem, we are experienced in navigating the litigation and dispute resolution process. In order to get the best result, we will investigate an incident before it becomes a claim. When appropriate, we will seek to resolve claims through arbitration. And when necessary, we will protect your interests in court.

Real Estate

Our Real Estate Group is experienced in all aspects of real estate transactions. We assist organizations with construction contracts, building code and zoning processes, financing methods, partnerships, leases, condominiums, closings, environmental compliance, and permitting matters.

Intellectual Property & Technology

Our experienced team of intellectual property attorneys can assist you in obtaining and protecting patents, trademarks and copyrights, advise you on the full range of technology issues, and represent your interests in state and federal courts.