The board considers the information developed by the investigation and determines what action, if any, they want to take.

If there is to be no action taken, the board or the board’s attorney will contact the licensee or the licensee’s attorney in writing to advise him of that fact.

If there is to be some type of discipline against the licensee, it usually appears in the form of a proposed settlement or Consent Order with the licensee.

If you are under investigation by your NJ Licensing board, why not speak to a NJ Licensing Defense Attorney….for free.  And find out what you’re really facing.

The investigative inquiry is the primary tool by which boards gather information about a licensees conduct.  At the investigative inquiry, the board or committee of the board will be present along with an attorney for the board.

The attorney for the board or board members will be asking questions of the licensee.  In addition, the board may also ask questions of other witnesses to the subject matter of the investigation.

Licensees have an absolute right to counsel at these investigative inquiries….and if you have the board’s attorneys asking you questions, it might be wise to have you own attorney with you.

If you are facing an investigative inquiry by a licensing board in NJ, why not call me at 973-377-0007 and tell me what’s going on and I’ll advise.

It usually starts with a demand for inspection of documents and possibly a visit by investigators who want to ask you questions.  Usually when the investigators show up at your office, they do so without an appointment.

It is my recommendation that you want to contact an attorney as soon as they appear, as you do have a right to counsel in these matters.  After the investigators ask their initial questions and make the request for documents, if the investigation is going to continue, the licensee will then be contacted to appear before an investigative inquiry.

This is not something you want to procrastinate on.  If they’re wanting to question you….it’s likely for a good reason.

If you’ve been approached by your licensing board, I am available for a no-obligation consultation at 937-377-0007.

While licensees do have a duty to cooperate, licensees are not required to incriminate themselves.

Investigators are very talented individuals are can likely get you to incriminate yourself during the conversation.

Do yourself a favor…..if you you have been contacted by an investigator from your NJ Licensing Board, call a NJ Licensing Defense Attorney so you can avoid trouble from the start.

I offer a free consultation to all Licensed professionals in the state.  I can be reached at 973-377-0007.

The reasons for an investigation include a complaint by a patient, a trend that the board is noticing in terms of a particular practice area, the board may be taking an initiative with respect to certain issues and want to investigate doctors in a particular area.

The investigation may be a reaction to another type of case.  For example, if a licensee was involved in insurance fraud or some other action that resulted in a civil or criminal prosecution, the board may want to take action as a result of that.

The board will take action against a licensee who pleads guilty to a crime or if there is a finding in a civil action against a licensee for any type of fraud.  This includes any type of action by Medicaid or Medicare with respect to billing.

If you are being investigated by a NJ Licensing Board or they are requesting to speak with, it’s in your best interest to speak with a NJ Licensing Defense Attorney.

I offer a free, no obligation consultation for any licensed professional in the state – call 973-377-0007.

You should probably talk to an attorney.  Prescription drug abuse is of major concern not only to the licensing boards, but to other regulatory bodies and law enforcement.  In fact, a recent article in the New Jersey Star Ledger highlights a new approach being taken by the New Jersey Attorney General and the Division of Consumer Affairs (cite article).

The state is starting an ambitious program to track every prescription filled for controlled dangerous substances (see the Attorney General’s Press Release here).  The purpose of this new program is to reduce the growing abuse of prescription pain killers.  Until this goal is laudable, practitioners need to be aware of the effect such a program may have on their license.  A major part of this program appears to be increased enforcement actions against prescribers who dispense large amounts of CDS.  These enforcement actions may include fines, license discipline and possible jail time.

If you have not been contacted, now would be a good time to refresh your knowledge of prescribing practices and recognizing additions.  In addition, it is critical for prescribers to have excellent security for their prescription pads.

In you have been contacted by your board for any reason, be prepared to answer questions about your prescribing practice.  Since this initiative is coming from the Attorney General, it is likely that all relevant boards will be asking questions about prescribing practices.  For that reason, licensees should consider having an experienced attorney represent them.

If you are a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or other prescriber and you been been asked to appear before your licensing board, why not speak with a New Jersey Healthcare License Defense Attorney – for free – and find out what you’re up against.  Call me at 973-377-0007.

I know it’s a lousy experience for a physician, nurse or pharmacist to be the disciplinary target of their employer because I see it regularly in my line of work.

If there is one thing I can recommend, it is this:

The most important thing you can do is to contact an attorney as soon as you’re aware of a job-related issue….preferably one that has experience in disciplinary issues with hospitals.  A scenario of “you vs. the hospital” is a lopsided affair.  It’s just the right move to get an experienced attorney.

If you’d like to discuss your situation in confidence, please call me at 973-377-0007.

Very simply, you may be fined or have other disciplinary action taken against you.

In a November 28th article in the Star Ledger, Christopher Baxter reports that a record number of licensed New Jersey Accountants are reporting that they have taken required continuing education courses, but in fact, have not.  Many have simply been lying about it.  You can see the complete article here.

In total, 780 accountants were caught falsifying continuing education reports and were fined anywhere from $500 – $8000 for the violations.

If you are a Licensed Professional and are under investigation or are being called to appear before the board, give me a call at 973.377.0007 and we can review your situation and the options available to you.  This consultation is free.

Not only can the board collect the money, they can also take action against your license if you fail to pay a fine or other assessment made against you.  In fact, there was an article in the October 30, 2011 Star Ledger authored by Christopher Baxter, which highlighted the failure of the boards to take steps to collect outstanding amounts.  You can see the article here.

Based upon this article, it is highly likely that the boards will step up their efforts to collect past due amounts.  In addition, it may make it more difficult to set up a payment plan in the event there is a fine.

The boards have the authority to suspend or revoke a license for failure to pay a fine.  In addition, the board can take steps to record the fine as a judgment which can then become a lien on real property.  Lastly, the board will add to the initial amount both interest and costs of the suit.

If you are a Healthcare Professional and have an outstanding fine, it’s my guess that a push to collect is not going to pretty.  Give me a call at 937-377-0007 and we can review your options.

For Physicians and other healthcare professionals, immediate consequences include, if there is a suspension or revocation, a loss of income in professional standing.  In addition to the immediate impact, the possibility that there may be a criminal referral depending upon the nature of the activities.

There may also be a termination of hospital privileges as a result of discipline.  There may be a termination from insurance plans depending upon the nature of the discipline.

If you are under investigation, or are facing disciplinary measures, contact New Jersey Physician & Healthcare License Defense Attorney Rich West at 937-377-0007.  The call and initial guidance is free.