Episode 72:
Functional medicine legal issues is a broad topic, but special guest, attorney Scott Rattigan shares insights into how functional medicine practitioners can help protect themselves and their practices, especially as telehealth technology outpaces medical regulations. In this episode, you will learn:
- What Functional Medicine Legal Issues you should be aware of
- How to protect yourself and your practice from HIPAA violations
- How telehealth could cause your practice problems
- Why protecting your practice is important
- Why informed consent is one of the most important elements in your business
The Functional Medicine Attorney
Scott is an attorney, who started practicing law specifically for functional medicine practitioners after his wife, a functional medicine practitioner, opened her practice. Since then, Scott has worked with multiple FM practitioners to help prepare their practices for success as well as help FM practitioners when they have found themselves in trouble.
Today, on the FM Shift, Scott talks about the top three areas of vulnerability for FM practitioners and how you can set your practice up for success.
Functional Medicine Legal Issues
With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic came the rise of telehealth, which led to an increase in functional medicine legal issues and others in the medical industry. Across the industry, functional medicine practitioners started seeing their patients online, using platforms like Facebook, FaceTime, and Zoom to speak with patients.
Many of these online platforms are easily hacked, leaving patients’ personal information vulnerable to theft.
Unfortunately, because technology is outpacing rules and regulations, there is little precedent for how to solve the potential for the exposure of sensitive information. However, functional medicine practitioners can make sure they’re using the safest online platforms available when using telehealth.
Telehealth Vulnerabilities
It’s not just network security that can create problems with telehealth. Functional medicine legal issues can also arise because some patients are out-of-state. Whether you live close to a state line or your patient specifically travels to you when a global pandemic isn’t prohibiting travel, it’s important to understand medical licensing laws.
If you are licensed in the state of North Carolina but have a patient who is quarantined in Texas, to treat your patient, you need to have a license to practice medicine in Texas. Even if this is a patient you have a history with, when your patient is on the ground in another state, you are technically practicing without a license (unless you also hold a license in that state). So be sure to follow licensing guidelines, even in these uncertain times.
About Scott Rattigan
Scott Rattigan, J.D., is a licensed healthcare attorney and a co-founder of a thriving membership-based functional medicine practice with his wife Linda, a D.O. Scott helps integrative and functional medicine providers establish solid business and legal plans to protect themselves and their businesses from excess risk so that they can practice with the confidence and security to powerfully change the lives of their patients.
He is a nationally recognized attorney and business consultant for integrative and functional medicine practices. Together with his wife, he helps run a thriving functional medicine practice so he understands both the legal issues and the practical business issues that practices face today. He consults practices all across the country and is up-to-date on all of the latest laws, regulations, and temporary orders.
How to Connect with Scott Rattigan:
- Website: www.functionallawyer.com/lha
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/scott-rattigan
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/functional-lawyer
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/functional.lawyer
- Twitter: @FxMedLawyer
About The FM Shift
What if functional medicine became as profitable, rewarding, and stress-free as you expected it to be? The business side of functional medicine doesn’t have to be a GRIND. We can help you discover functional medicine sales mastery and make maximum money without patient resistance.
The FM Shift shows you how to effortlessly attract patients who want what you offer and are willing to pay you what you’re worth, without waiting for your practice to magically mature.
