Chicago IDFPR Attorney Jacqueline Stein Podcast: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) Updates & Trends
Chicago IDFPR Attorney Jacqueline Stein, at Michael V. Favia & Associates in Chicago, shares updates and trends at the Department. This is an episode of the Illinois Healthcare Consultants podcast, hosted by the Illinois professional licensing defense law firm, Michael V. Favia & Associates in Chicago. Jacqueline Stein is a former medical prosecutor for the Department for five years. In this podcast interview, she offers insight into how the Department works, its goals, and the updates that professional licensees in Illinois should know.
An important takeaway: Always consult an experienced Chicago IDFPR attorney when matters arise with the Department. The Law Office of Michael V. Favia & Associates and their team of IDFPR consultants know how to help with license applications, IDFPR complaints, and investigations, probation and compliance, administrative review, and appeal of disciplinary decisions.
(773) 631-4580
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Podcast Highlights:
- How IDFPR
Regulates Licensed Professions
- Complaints
- Investigations
- Formal Hearing
- Current
IDFPR Trends & Issues
- Online Renewal and Notification
- Medical Marijuana Issues
- Multistate-licensed Healthcare Professionals
- Illinois Medical Licensure Compact Act
- Opioid Prescriptions; Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program
- Post-discipline License Restoration
- Probationary Order Terms & Conditions
- Departmental Changes & New Director
Do Not Miss Electronic Notifications from the IDFPR
Licensed professionals in Illinois can renew their professional licenses online. But did you know that renewals are not the only communications the Department sends and receives online?
In fact, notices of complaints and communications about regulatory and disciplinary actions may be landing in your email inbox, or worse, your SPAM folder.
Take a moment to make sure the Department has your current email address and adjust your email settings to make sure you will see any IDFPR communications. At Michael V. Favia & Associates we help licensees with default orders and license suspension for failure to respond or take action. To avoid confusion and potential liability for unauthorized practice, make sure you pay attention to electronic notifications from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Medical Marijuana Legal in Illinois, Not Other States: Avoiding Confusion
Pre-employment drug screens lead to problems when Illinois licensees fail drug tests in other states. For example, a nursing professional in another state tested positive for marijuana, causing the IDFPR to be notified. Yes, the Chicago IDFPR attorneys at Michael V. Favia & Associates were able to resolve the issue without discipline, but why go through that process and have a record of the same?
Contact one of your Chicago IDFPR attorneys if you have concerns about licensing in multiple states, and questions about medical marijuana.
Healthcare Professionals Licensed by Multiple States
Traveling nurses are great examples of licensed healthcare professionals who work in many states. From a 13-week contract in Illinois to the next in North Carolina, then Indiana, and Kentucky imagine the potential licensing issues that can arise. At Michael V. Favia & Associates, your Chicago IDFPR attorneys have worked with healthcare professionals with as many as 10 different licenses among several states.
If the traveling nurse, for example, has a fine or some type of discipline or contact in one state, the sister states may and likely will be in touch. Some of those states may still send paper correspondence and others may be like the IDFPR and use an electronic notification system. What happens if the nurse misses an email from the Kentucky licensing agency and it goes to the SPAM folder?
Interested in travel nursing? Read 10 Ways to Prepare for a Career in Travel Nursing.
We help licensees not only from Illinois but from all over the US with complex licensing issues.
Illinois Medical Licensure Compact Issues
To increase access to healthcare, member states of the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact are part of a complex and comprehensive process to recognized existing licenses and regulations from other member states. This allows reciprocity and ease of licensing in participating compact states.
However, if there is a disciplinary issue in one of the states, a medical malpractice matter, for example, the licensee may not receive the letter of qualification they need. Open investigations can be resolved by your Chicago IDFPR attorneys with knowledge of how the system works and what needs to happen, how and when.
See our tag cloud for The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
Opioids and the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program
The Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP), used through the EHR automated connection, makes it easier to identify and investigate opioid prescription issues and irregularities. When red flag opioid prescribing is identified an investigation can be the result.
The opioid epidemic leads to nationwide takedowns. Licensees within the circles of responsibility and liability must contact an experienced license defense attorney immediately upon contact with law enforcement or the IDFPR in connection with these issues. It is also a good idea to call your Chicago IDFPR attorneys at Michael V. Favia & Associates before anything happens, to know what to do if you are involved in an opioid investigation or takedown.
Learn more about recent Opioid busts in our recent blog article, Major Opioid Bust: 60 Doctors and Pharmacists Charged.
Discipline Trends: Terms & Conditions of Probationary Orders
Ethics violations can be solved by taking an Ethics for Public Protection (EBAS) course. Note that this is an expensive course with 5 parts, not all of which may be relevant to the underlying violation. If you have a question, check with your Chicago IDFPR attorneys at Michael V. Favia & Associates.
Fines are being assessed with more frequency and higher dollar amounts. Reprimand for sister state disciplines is also prevalent and on the rise. Meanwhile, at the IDFPR, agency employees may see changes with a new Department Director and new Illinois Governor.
Takeaway: Professional license application, defense, and multistate issues are complex and always changing as different states and agencies experience changes in leadership, funding and priority directives. What may have been true at one time may not be the case today or tomorrow. Call on your Chicago IDFPR attorneys at the Law Office of Michael V. Favia & Associates for help with healthcare and related professional licensing issues.
Michael V. Favia & Associates is a Chicago Health Law Firm with a Team of IDFPR Licensing and License Defense Attorneys and Professionals Available at (773) 631-4580.
Leading a team of healthcare licensing professionals, Chicago IDFPR Attorney Michael V. Favia is a former Chief of Prosecutions for the Department under its former name. Podcast presenter for this interview, Jacqueline Friedman-Stein, of counsel to the firm, is also a former IDFPR attorney. Because of past Department experience with procedures and prosecutions, the team at Michael V. Favia & Associates are well-suited to handle any IDFPR issue that may arise. From new license applications to complaints about discipline, medical malpractice, and multistate licensing concerns, trust your healthcare professional livelihood to experienced Chicago IDFPR attorney Jaqueline Stein or Michael V. Favia at (773) 631-4580 today!
