Industries & Practices

COVID-19 Resource Center: Health Care

COVID-19 Resource Center: Health Care

    Bricker’s health care attorneys can assist health care providers and health plans as they address pandemic-related issues so that they can remain focused on the health and safety of their patients, members and employees.

    Health care providers, health plans and others monitoring COVID-19 should be aware of the legal concerns associated with responding to a public health emergency, particularly in circumstances when federal compliance regulations are temporarily modified.

    Bricker health care attorneys provide counsel on:


    Health information management

    • Release of COVID-19 diagnosis to state/other agencies and to persons with whom a patient may have come in to contact
    • Media requests/media onsite


    Patient care

    • Isolation and quarantine regulations
    • Change in visitor rules for all patients
    • Potential violations of COPs due to inadequate staffing
    • Reporting of infected patients departing a facility against medical advice
    • EMTALA obligations if an emergency department is overrun
    • Transfer of infected patients between unrelated facilities
    • Shortage of supplies and medications, possible transfer from unrelated facilities
    • Policies/protocols for personal protective equipment


    Workforce policies

    • Sick employees calling off and creating a staffing shortage
    • Sick employees not calling off and increasing the threat of infection to others within the hospital
    • Employees calling off due to short supply of protective equipment
    • Use of temporary privileges
    • Necessary/temporary policy changes and enforcement
    • Mandatory vaccinations for employees
    • OSHA's COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard