Florida Board of Medicine-Attorneys, Lawyers and Legal Counsel
| Licensing Board | Florida Board of Medicine |
|---|---|
| Address, Physical | 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, FL 32399 |
| Address, Mail | 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-03, Tallahassee, FL 32399 |
| Telephone No. | (850) 245-4131 |
| Fax No. | (850) 488-0596 |
| Website | https://flboardofmedicine.gov/ |
Investigating Agency for Medical Board
| Agency | Department of Health |
|---|---|
| Address, Physical | Prosecution Services Unit, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 |
| Address, Mail | Prosecution Services Unit, 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32399 |
| Telephone No. | (850) 245-4339 |
| Fax No. | (850) 488-0796 |
| Website | http://www.floridahealth.gov/licensing-and-regulation/enforcement/index.html |
The Florida Board of Medicine regulates the practice of allopathic medicine in the state of Florida. This includes only allopathic physicians (M.D.s) and physician assistants (P.A.). Florida has a separate board for osteopathic physicians (D.O.s), the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine. However, complaints for both boards are received by and handled initially by the Department of Health. All complaints, investigations and legal negotiations for this board are usually handled by investigators, attorneys and staff members of the Department of Health (DOH) located at the address above. Investigations are routinely sent out to one of the several field offices the DOH has across the state for a field investigation. The field investigator can issue subpoenas, interview witnesses, obtain documents and otherwise fully investigate the complaint made. Once the field investigator completes their report, it is always forwarded to the main DOH office in Tallahassee where it undergoes further review.
Our attorneys routinely represent professionals in the medicinal fields. This includes full advice and assistance during the investigation, including obtaining and filing statements and other evidence that may be necessary, hearing preparation and hearing representation as further discussed below.
Remember these important points before hiring anyone for representation on a Florida Board of Medicine/Department of Health complaint:
Often individuals who hold themselves out to be professionals with expertise in these matters will advertise that they can assist you in complaints and investigations. But if the case becomes complicated or a hearing is required, they rapidly abandon you. Don’t get caught in such a fix.
Do not give an oral statement to the investigator or submit a written statement signed by yourself during the initial investigation. In Florida you cannot be required to do this. Remember that such statements can and will be used against you to prove the case against you, if you have to go to a hearing. In Florida, you cannot be required to make such statements as the Fifth Amendment protects you in such a situation.
Be cautious about selecting an informal hearing instead of a formal hearing. If you select an informal hearing, this means you are not contesting the charges against you, you are admitting them (or admitting you are guilty), and the hearing will only allow you to address the amount of punishment you receive.
If you are not guilty, desire to have the state prove the case against you if it has evidence to do so, and will be allowed to defend yourself, you should select a formal hearing.
Be very careful about accepting a Settlement Agreement (“SA”), Consent Order (“CO”), or Stipulated Consent Order (“SCO”). Each of these means the same thing. It means you are pleading guilty and will have discipline on your license for the rest of your life.
If you have malpractice insurance, it probably contains professional license defense coverage that will pay for your legal defense expenses in the case. Don’t waste a valuable benefit you have paid for. Retain an attorney who accepts your insurance at the very first notice of a complaint.
If you are going before the Board of Medicine because of a complaint, you are almost always either doing it as an informal hearing (in which you have admitted the charges) or as part of a Settlement Agreement/Consent Order in which you have agreed to accept discipline on your license. In the event of a formal hearing before the board, you should have legal representation. In either case, you are going to have discipline on your license for the rest of your life. Make sure you know for sure what the procedures are in this state so that you do not inadvertently give up your rights.
Our attorneys are licensed only in Florida, Louisiana, and District of Columbia, but we are authorized to represent you in these matters in many of the other states listed above under the state’s multi-jurisdictional practice rules for attorneys; we may apply for special admission privileges under the state’s pro hac vice rules or have to take other such actions to represent you, but we routinely do this.
In addition to board of medicine representation, our attorneys also represent physicians and other health professionals in appeals of administrative cases, contracts, business litigation, Medicare and Medicaid audits and investigations, DEA audits, DEA Order to Show Cause (OTSC) hearings, Inspector General actions, subpoenas for medical records, National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) appeals, board certification disputes, and most other legal matters.
To contact an attorney with The Health Law Firm for a consultation or representation, click here.
The provision of this information does not constitute the practice of law in this state/jurisdiction nor the advertisement of the practice of law in this state/jurisdiction. This is not the provision of legal advice. Legal advice must be specific to the facts of each individual case. Hiring an attorney is an important decision that should not be made based on advertising alone. Ask for additional information on the qualifications of any attorney before hiring them. Our attorneys only practice in those states and jurisdictions in which they are licensed to practice law or legally permitted to practice law. An attorney-client relationship can only be formed with our attorneys through the payment of a retainer fee and a retainer agreement signed by all parties.