Practicing in professional licensure, discipline, civil and criminal cases stemming from healthcare/medical practice.
THE PROBLEM:
Substance dependence and mental health issues are a growing, costly problem for insurance carriers and employers of all stripes. These issues prolong the period of care, increase treatment costs, and sap precious revenue. In fact, physicians, from primary care to specialists, are fighting to cope with this problem in their practices, balancing efficient and effective treatment with an abiding need for patient satisfaction. These issues, combined with a profound lack of knowledge across the medical profession of the effects of controlled substances, have led to a cycle of dependence, suffering, and death that will only deepen in time. Solving this pervasive problem will save money, improve products and productivity, and increase patient satisfaction.
THE SOLUTION:
The solution to this problem is three-fold. First, insurance carriers can end the cycle of dependence by creating policies regarding the proper treatment of substance and mental health issues. This prevents physicians from prescribing, or continuing to prescribe, addictive medication when it is in the best interest of the patient to cease use. Second, medical professionals need to be educated regarding the proper prescription of addictive medications and be required to follow these policies. Medical schools and residency programs fail to adequately provide addiction education. Finally, insurance carriers should require medication utilization review, which ensures medications are being prescribed appropriately. This allows prescribing physicians an opportunity to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the prescribed medication. Health Advocates Law, PLLC, is a valuable partner in implementing these reforms.
OUR SERVICES:
-Our attorneys develop policies to reduce lost revenues to insurance providers and employers resulting from substance dependence and mental health issues.
-If you have policies, our attorney's provide analysis of your company's policies regarding the prescription of addictive medications.
-Our office consults with medical professionals on the appropriate prescriptions of addictive medications.
-Our professionals offer continuing education to medical and insurance professionals regarding the recognition of mental health issues and substances abuse.
-Our professionals provide seminars and other presentations of the policies we develop.
-Our professionals can provide referrals for medication utilization review.
-Our firm can provide litigation support relating to mental illness and the prescription of addictive medications.
