Ohio Health License Defense Lawyer

What the Ohio Department of Health Does

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is an extensive, high-level agency made up of many individual offices and bureaus, including but not limited to the following:

• Bureau of Infectious Diseases
• Office of Health Assurance and Licensing
• Bureau of Survey and Certification
• Bureau of Regulatory Operations
• Office of Health Preparedness
• Bureau of Community Health Care Facilities and Services
• Bureau of Vital Statistics
• Office of Health Improvement and Wellness
• Office of Health Services
• Bureau of Environmental Health and Radiation Protection
• Bureau of Maternal, Child, and Family Health

These offices and bureaus, in addition to many others within the ODH, handle a variety of responsibilities within Ohio’s health community, including evaluating, updating, and promoting health care policy. In addition to creating health and safety regulations and monitoring compliance, the ODH is responsible for licensing and registering many facilities and professionals.

Ohio Department of Health Licensing

Many of the offices and bureaus within the ODH are responsible for licensing and/or registering health facilities and professionals, such as:

• Health care providers, including hospitals, residential care facilities, health care clinics, birthing centers, ambulatory surgical centers, outpatient rehabilitation, dialysis centers, home health agencies, hospices, and more
• Nursing homes and facilities
• Educational facilities and schools
• State Tested Nurse Aides (STNA)
• Radiologic services, including X-ray machine operation, radiation therapists, radiographer, nuclear medicine technologists, and more
• Healing aid dealers and fitters
• Lead abatement professionals
• Radon testing and mitigation professionals
• Radioactive materials
• Private water system contractors
• Food service facilities
• Tattoo artists and piercings
• Pools and other water monitoring
• Sewage regulation and monitoring

The licensing process you face depends on the specific type of license you pursue as a facility or individual. In general, licensing requires a unique type and amount of education, passing certain examinations, and an application to the ODH with a non-refundable fee. If you obtain a license through the ODH, there may be continuing education and license renewal requirements you may have to meet.

If you do not maintain the proper requirements, then upon renewal, your license may be denied. Additionally, if the ODH receives a complaint regarding unlawful conduct or finds violations during an inspection, your license may be suspended or revoked following an administrative hearing. In either situation, contact an Ohio health license defense lawyer to discuss your rights and options.

The ODH Disciplinary Process

If your license is to be denied, or a complaint is filed against you that could lead to your license being revoked, then you may receive notification in writing. You have the right to obtain a license defense attorney at this time and take part in the investigation regarding this issue.

If there is not sufficient evidence of a violation, then the issue may be dropped. If there is enough evidence that you violated the law, then your attorney may request a hearing to present testimony and evidence. The outcome of the hearing depends on many factors. If you are found to have committed a violation, then you may lose your license for a period of time or permanently, or retain your license and be required to pay a fine.

If you are facing the ODH disciplinary process, call an Ohio health license defense lawyer from Graff & McGovern. If the ODH revokes your license following the administrative hearing, our license defense attorneys will discuss your option to appeal that decision.

How an Experienced License Defense Lawyer Can Help

An experienced health license defense attorney can help you during the administrative disciplinary process in several ways. By contacting a lawyer as soon as you know there may be an issue with your license, you have a professional who is ready to conduct an independent investigation into your situation. Your lawyer can guide you through the investigation process, including representing you in cooperating with the board investigator. In many situations, a lawyer can strive to clear up any miscommunications and help the agency close the case without any further action.

If the investigator obtains sufficient evidence to proceed with an action against you, your license defense lawyer will work to make sure you have a fair hearing. Your lawyer will present evidence on your behalf and strive to counter the allegations of misconduct against you during your hearing.

If you have not worked with an attorney yet, call Graff & McGovern. Administrative hearings follow formal procedures based on the Ohio Administrative Procedures Act and can be quite complex. If you are unfamiliar with the rules, you are at a disadvantage. It is best to work with an attorney who focuses on administrative license defense like those at Graff & McGovern.

Contact an Ohio Health License Defense Lawyer Today

The skilled attorneys of Graff & McGovern have represented licensed professionals throughout Ohio for 25 years. Three lawyers on our team are certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as Administrative Agency Specialists. Our team has considerable training with administrative law and in-depth experience working with many types of professionals and facilities licensed by the ODH. We are ready to work with you and the ODH to fight for you to keep your professional license.