If you are a licensed professional in Maryland, you committed a great deal of time, effort, and money to qualify for and maintain your license. You worked hard, completed your required education and training, and obtained your license so you could follow your passion and use your skills and specialized knowledge to help others.
You also understand that your license is a badge intended to gain public trust, and you have a responsibility to uphold your reputation as a consummate professional. No matter your career field—whether you're a doctor, dentist, nurse, plumber, electrician, or accountant—your license can be threatened in any number of scenarios. A patient, colleague, student, or client could file a complaint against you with the Maryland licensing agency that governs your profession.
Although you have always conducted yourself with the utmost professionalism, you now face serious allegations that could jeopardize your license, your career, and your future.
As soon as you learn of the complaint, you need to contact Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his experienced Professional License Defense Team for a full evaluation of your case and advice regarding your options.
The Lento Law Firm Can Help You Defend Your Professional License
It's easy to fall into a false sense of security about your professional license. You may think that once you secure your license, you will have it forever. However, you can only keep your license if you adhere to the requirements your specific licensing board mandates and conduct yourself to an acceptable standard.
Various professional code violations can threaten your licensure, and many violations are similar regardless of your field. For instance, while doctors and teachers have very different jobs and licensing requirements, each could face disciplinary issues if they engage in prohibited sexual contact or are convicted of a crime, such as DUI. Many licensed professionals can get in trouble for engaging in fraud, being negligent in their duties, or perpetrating other wrongdoing.
Regardless of your profession, you need to contact a skilled professional license defense attorney immediately upon learning of any allegations against you or any investigations from your licensing board.
The Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm has many years of experience helping clients throughout Maryland and across the country. Contact the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 to discuss your case.
The Disciplinary Process for Licensed Professionals in Maryland
Each field or industry that employs licensed professionals in Maryland has its own licensing board. For example, physicians, engineers, nurses, lawyers, social workers, and even funeral directors must have licenses to operate in Maryland. Also, certain fields, such as medicine, have subsets of licensed professionals within the field, such as chiropractors and massage therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, psychologists, and occupational therapists.
Although each field has its own licensing board, the disciplinary process for all professional licensing boards is relatively the same. Boards may employ different guidelines and procedures specific to their industry, but in most cases, the disciplinary process is as follows:
Complaint
The disciplinary process usually begins with a formal complaint lodged against you. Many licensing boards in Maryland accept anonymous complaints, so you may never know who made the complaint. The Maryland Board of Physicians states that it cannot guarantee anonymity, and if a complainant wishes to remain anonymous, they should not include information on the complaint form that would reveal their identity. Depending on your career field, any of the following could file a complaint against you:
- Other doctors, physicians, or licensed practitioners in your profession
- Colleagues and coworkers
- Patients
- Clients
- Students or parents
Additionally, you can face complaints for alleged fraud from insurers, and court clerks can file complaints against you if you were convicted of a crime.
The Maryland Board of Physicians handles complaints against various professionals who work in the healthcare industry, including physicians, radiographers, polysomnographic techs, physician assistants, perfusionists, and respiratory care practitioners, among others. Maryland law requires the board to provide evidence you breached the Medical Practice Act before formally charging you.
Investigation
After receiving a formal complaint, the licensing board will first review the matter to determine if the complaint details a possible violation of the board's code of conduct and whether the board has jurisdiction over the matter. For instance, if the complaint only alleges the professional was rude or disputes a fee, the board likely will not act on it.
If the board determines the matter warrants further action, it will launch an investigation and assign an investigator to handle your case. The investigator will inform you of the complaint, and if the board allows it, they may send you a copy.
During the investigation, the investigator will review your professional records and interview you and others at your place of employment. After completing their investigation, the investigator will file a report that details their findings and conclusions. They will then make recommendations to the board regarding disciplinary action. The board will review the matter and decide whether to pursue action or close the complaint.
You need to act quickly once you receive word of the investigation to safeguard your interests and avoid saying or doing anything that could further implicate you. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the experienced Professional License Defense Team at The Lento Law Firm can advise you on how to respond to the investigator.
Consent Order and Other Possible Actions
If the investigator finds sufficient grounds regarding the complaint and files their recommendations, the licensing board can take private action against you. For example, if you are a doctor or other healthcare professional, the Maryland Board of Physicians may determine you did not violate the Medical Practice Act. In that case, they may only send you a confidential advisory letter, which is not a formal action.
However, in most cases, the board will take formal public disciplinary action, which can include a Public Letter of Concern or a Consent Order. These public actions are negotiated agreements between you and the board. The board may list the disciplinary actions it plans to pursue against you, which can include probation, or suspending, revoking, or annulling your license.
To help protect your rights and interests, you should have an experienced professional license defense attorney represent you when negotiating the consent agreement. If you do not accept the public action, you can fight the action at a formal hearing.
Contact Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his experienced Professional License Defense Team for help.
Hearing
If you can't reach an agreement regarding the Consent Order, the board will conduct a formal hearing. The hearing is very similar to a trial. The board will present evidence against you, and you may respond to the allegations. The board will then decide about the disciplinary action it will pursue against you, and it may issue a Consent Order anyway as a result.
Why You Need the Lento Law Firm to Help Protect Your License
You depend on your professional license, and any complaint filed against you threatens your licensure, your career, and your livelihood. To increase your chances of getting the most favorable outcome possible, you need an experienced and knowledgeable professional defense attorney to represent you during all stages of the complaint, investigation, and hearing.
Dealing with the bureaucracy of any licensing board can be nerve-wracking and challenging to successfully navigate. You want to present the most compelling case against the complaint, and you can rely on Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team to provide assistance by:
- Thoroughly reviewing the complaint and recommending a strong defense strategy
- Collecting evidence and procuring witnesses
- Representing you in all interactions with the investigator and administrative board
- Drafting a compelling written response to the complaint to try and close your case
- Negotiating with the licensing board to dismiss your case or mitigate the potential consequences
- Negotiating to help you get favorable terms in the consent agreement
- Advocating strongly for you before the board at the formal hearing
Considering all that's at stake, you do not want to try to handle this important matter on your own. You can contact The Lento Law Firm for a full evaluation of the matter and advice on your best course of action.
Areas We Serve in Maryland
The Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm represents all types of licensed professionals throughout Maryland. We represent doctors, nurses, lawyers, dentists, contractors, therapists, and other licensed professionals in the following districts of Maryland:
Baltimore
Maryland's largest and most populous city, Baltimore is home to nearly 577,000 residents and was where Francis Scott Key wrote our country's national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” The city is also home to Johns Hopkins Medicine and many other top-tier healthcare facilities that employ tens of thousands of healthcare professionals.
Columbia
Located in Howard County, Columbia has more than 100,000 residents and is one of the key communities in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., greater metropolitan area. Known for its robust engineering industries, Columbia is the headquarters for several prominent technology, finance, bioscience, and pharmaceutical companies. The U.S. government is also a large employer, as are several top-notch medical centers, including Howard County General.
Germantown
With a population of nearly 90,000, Germantown sits northwest of Washington, D.C., and is a fast-growing, prominent community in Montgomery County. The city is home to Holy Cross Health, which provides more than 5,000 jobs.
Silver Spring
A booming city on the northern edge of Washington, D.C., Silver Spring is home to more than 80,000 residents and Howard University's School of Continuing Education. The city is also home to several major federal agencies and technology corporations, including United Therapeutics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The American Nurses Association is also based there.
Bethesda
Bethesda, Maryland, has a population of more than 68,000 and is home to many prominent corporations in a variety of professional industries. The National Institutes of Health has its main campus in Bethesda, and the city is home to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and several federal agencies.
Offenses or Allegations that Might Jeopardize Your Professional License
In the interest of public trust, Maryland's state licensing boards must uphold their licensees to high ethical and professional standards. Therefore, licensing boards take any allegations of wrongdoing seriously. Some accusations that can trigger a board investigation and place your professional license in jeopardy include:
Fraudulent Practices
For licensed healthcare professionals, accusations of fraud could include:
- Overbilling patients
- Billing patients or insurance providers for services you did not render
- Using a code for a more expensive service than the one provided (upcoding)
- Falsifying patient diagnoses to collect a higher reimbursement from insurance providers
- Accepting financial compensation for referrals (kickbacks)
- Providing services outside your license's scope
Abuse, Gross Negligence
A patient could accuse you of jeopardizing or violating their safety, well-being, or health, such as:
- Physically abusing, hitting, or sexually assaulting them
- Abusing them emotionally, such as threatening or berating them
- Making medical or prescription errors
- Violating patient confidentiality
Sexual Misconduct/Inappropriate Relationships
For healthcare professionals, having a sexual or romantic relationship with a patient is one of the most serious allegations—whether consensual or not. Of course, sexual assault, unwanted sexual contact, and sexual harassment constitute other types of sexual misconduct that could have legal repercussions.
Inappropriate Handling of Medications
If you incorrectly prescribe, dispense, or tack medications, you could face serious disciplinary action. The same holds true if the board finds you guilty of stealing medication for your own use or selling prescriptions outside the scope of your practice.
Inaccurate Record Keeping
Keeping incomplete, disorganized, or messy patient records can get you in hot water with the licensing board. If you falsify patient records or have them in your possession, you risk losing your license.
Substance Abuse/Addiction
If you struggle with substance abuse or addiction, including alcohol, you could face harsh disciplinary action. Many boards consider this a particularly serious offense.
Criminal Convictions
You may face severe consequences not only to your professional license but your freedom if you are convicted of a crime. Certain crimes such as DWI/DUI, crimes of moral turpitude, or crimes related to your profession will likely carry more weight with the board.
The Lento Law Firm: Professional License Defense for Licensed Professionals in Maryland
The Lento Law Firm has extensive experience representing licensed professionals throughout Maryland and across the country. If you are licensed to practice in any of these roles, Attorney Joseph Lento and his Professional License Defense Team can assist you.
- Physician
- Physician assistant
- Nurse
- Dentist
- Pharmacist
- Podiatrist
- Anesthesiologist
- Chiropractor
- Physical therapist
- Mental health professional
- Audiologist
- Real estate agent
- K-12 educator
- Cosmetologist
- Insurance agent
- Architect
- CPA
The Lento Law Firm also represents many other licensed professions, such as plumbers, electricians, HVAC specialists, and home improvement contractors.
Don't let allegations of professional misconduct threaten your professional license and your career. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team have experience going up against many licensing boards throughout Maryland, and we can advise you of your option and fight hard for your future.
Call (888) 535-3686 or go online to schedule a review of your case and get the help you need to restore your reputation and protect your professional license.
