Kathy is a partner with the firm's Health Care and Litigation Groups. In her 21 years of practice with Barley Snyder, Kathy has served as counselor and problem-solver for health care providers throughout Central Pennsylvania, including hospitals and physicians, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospices, home health and home care agencies. She regularly defends health care providers in significant malpractice litigation and before the Licensure Boards.
Kathy uses her broad based expertise to guide providers through both every day problems and more serious issues, always with an eye towards future prevention. Experience has honed Kathy's ability to find practical solutions to difficult problems without running afoul of regulations. Kathy has also worked with providers to create event evaluation processes which preserve relevant privileges to the greatest extent possible.
Kathy assists clients through all phases of policy making, including preparation, review and implementation in virtually all areas of health care practice. Kathy understands the importance of clarity and simiplicity in policy making, and the need to incorporate what the review bodies need into a process which is functional for the provider.
Kathy has been defending health care providers in litigation across Central Pennsylvania throughout her entire career, including the most serious of cases involving adult brain injury and birth injuries. Her diverse health care practice gives her insight essential to effective representation of the providers in litigation and in the courtroom. Kathy also understands the stress these proceedings bring to the providers involved, and she is skilled at soothing nerves and bolstering confidence in the process of trial or deposition preparation. She puts these same skills to effective use when fostering licensed providers through a Department of State investigation and/or complaint.
Kathy counsels clients on a variety of health care issues, including:
· HITECH and HIPAA
· Red Flag Rules/Identity Theft Prevention
· Mental Health Laws and Procedures
· POAs, Advance Directives, and Guardianship
· EMTALA
· FDA Internal Review Board Regulations
· Abortion Control Act Compliance
· Policy Making
· Corporate Liability
· Informed Consent
· Risk Management
· Credentialing
· State Board Licensing and Investigations
· DOH Regulations
· JCAHO credentialing
· Event Reporting and Patient Safety
· Defense of Malpractice Claims
· Secondary Payor Reporting
· Criminal Background Checks
· Child Abuse Reporting
· Protective Services Act
· Allied Health Provider Law and Regulations
Community Involvement
· Mental Health Association in Lancaster County; committee member, past board member, past board president
· Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation; board member
· Go Red for Women/American Heart Association; Circle of Red Member, luncheon committee member
· United Way Women's Council; member
· Hospice of Lancaster County; Planned Giving Counsel (Faculty)
· Leadership Lancaster Graduate, 1994
· Lancaster County POLST Coalition; steering committee
Professional Affiliations
· American, Pennsylvania and Lancaster Bar Associations
· American Health Lawyers Association
Publications & Speaking Engagements
· Society of Health Care Attorneys of the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania Newsletter, Student Managing Editor, 1988-1990.
· Note, Nonprofit Hospital Mergers and Federal Antitrust Law: The Quest for Compatibility, 15 Del. J. Corp. Law 539 (1990).
Publications
· Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act Compliance Date for Group Health Plans Approaches
· Health Law Alert: New Regulations Clarify HITECH Breach Notification Rules
· Health Law Alert: HIPAA-steria - The Sequel, First Up: Breach Notification
· Health Law Alert: Last Call for Red Flag Compliance Yes, Health Care Providers, This Means You
· The "New" Health Care Reform Bill: What It Means for You and Your Business