Licensure & Accreditation

Hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, physician practice groups, and other health care organizations are subject to a vast array of Federal and State licensure, accreditation, and certificate of need laws and regulations.  Sonnenschein has extensive experience in each of these areas.  For example:

• Firm attorneys help health care facilities, practitioners, and ancillary service providers with every aspect of the licensure process, including licensure preparedness (e.g., completion of applications and regulatory filings) and facility management issues (e.g., disciplinary matters).  Sonnenschein also represents clients in licensure-related enforcement actions before various governmental agencies.
• Our attorneys have experience advising clients on securing and maintaining accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and other accreditation bodies. 
• The Health Care Practice Group helps hospitals, long-term care providers, surgical centers, dialysis centers, and other providers with the broad range of legal and practical issues relating to state certificate of need laws.  For example, Group attorneys handle permit applications and exemption requests, represent clients in state planning board proceedings, and assist clients in obtaining advisory opinions, rulings, and cost overrun determinations.
• Firm attorneys assist health care entities and providers in ensuring that their respective business arrangements and transactions comply with the notice and transfer requirements established by licensure, accreditation and certificate of need laws and regulations.