Healthcare

Our attorneys bring significant experience to all facets of healthcare regulation and litigation, and we provide counsel to clients navigating healthcare issues. Robbins Firm attorneys have played leading roles in the business and regulation of the healthcare industry, including assisting healthcare providers to navigate the complex regulatory framework involved in Certificate of Need applications and appeals, as well as through the representation of health plans, hospitals and health systems, physicians and physician practices, nurses and pharmacists in a variety of litigation. We have also defended numerous physicians, pharmacists and nurses before licensing boards and assisted others in obtaining licenses.

Representative Matters

  • Our firm obtained the first free standing emergency department certificates of need for three client-hospitals in Augusta, Macon, and Savannah.
  • Our client was awarded a certificate of need to open a new basic obstetric service in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia.  We upheld the award at every level: administrative, superior court, and Georgia’s appellate courts.
  • On appeal, our attorneys convinced the Department of Community Health Commissioner to reverse the department’s initial decision to deny a regional hospital’s request to expand its neonatal intensive care unit.
  • We obtained a reversal of the Department of Community Health’s decision to deny a freestanding imaging center a certificate of need.
  • Our attorneys represented a hospital and ambulatory surgery center harmed by the Department of Community Health’s application of a Certificate of Need regulation. On appeal, the Superior Court of Fulton County deemed the application of the rule to have exceeded the Department’s authority and reversed the award of the Certificate of Need.
  • The Firm represented a company seeking to open an eating disorder treatment center in a suit against the city that had previously denied the company permission to open its facility. After winning the case before the trial court, Robbins Firm attorneys again prevailed at the appellate level. Ultimately, the company received was able to open its facility and additionally obtained a favorable settlement for its related claims.
  • Robbins Firm attorneys assisted with and prepared the Certificate of Need applications for Georgia’s first ambulatory surgery center for general surgeons as well as Georgia’s first destination cancer hospital.
  • Attorneys from the Robbins Firm assisted a physicians group with compliance on federal Anti-Kickback and Stark laws when exploring a new and successful business model.
  • With the assistance of Robbins Firm attorneys, a hospital successfully obtained the ability to provide diagnostic cardiac catheterization services to patients, after the hospital was previously denied a Certificate of Need. The Robbins Firm also assisted a major hospital in Brunswick, Georgia with a successful Certificate of Need application to obtain high-end surgical equipment, after it was previously denied.
  • The Firm defended a leading regional provider of respiratory and nutritional services based in California. The case settled favorably for our client.
  • Robbins Firm attorneys appeared before the Georgia Board of Pharmacy and successfully persuaded the Board to recognize our client as an accrediting entity.
  • We have represented numerous medical practices and physicians with regard to employment related matters, including involving non-compete, non-solicitation, and other restrictive covenants.