State licensing boards have become increasingly over-zealous in their prosecution of so-called "professional boundary issues," especially when those issues relate to the healthcare industry. While boards do have a responsibility to the public, there are a number of gray areas when it comes to how physical therapists interact with patients beyond the confines of healthcare settings, and it's important to consider all the facts before passing judgment. That's where we come in. It's our job to make sure they do.

If you should find yourself facing a complaint or some type of allegation from your licensing board, it's crucial that you contact someone from the Lento Law Firm. Often, our Professional License Defense Team can suggest defense strategies and other types of resolutions that don't require you to give up your license. To find out more, dial 888-535-3686 today, or take time right now and tell us about your case.

Rush to Judgment

You've probably seen the headlines over the last several years, a laundry list of all the things that can go wrong when health providers abuse their positions. The recent story of Danny Steffens, a physical therapist in New Jersey, might sound like just more of the same. After all, the media rarely paints anyone accused of misconduct in a positive light.

In this case, Steffens admitted to multiple sexual encounters with a patient and to sending text messages and “explicit photos.” Sounds pretty bad on the face of it. In fact, inappropriate professional relationships are a common cause of licensing issues. However, at no point in any media reporting of this story does anyone say that Steffens was accused of anything more than overstepping a boundary. He doesn't stand accused of sexual violence, for instance, or of rape.

In fact, media reports give no context for Steffens's situation. That's pretty typical of media reports. But the specifics always matter. Ignoring the facts in blind pursuit of following the letter of the law can undermine the very notion of justice itself. Whether the media recognizes it or not, there are gray areas that exist when it comes to health care workers' personal relationships. What seems like an ethical violation might be something entirely different.

It matters, for instance, how relationships between healthcare workers and their patients develop. It matters who initiates contact. It matters where the relationship is conducted and whether there were other dimensions to the relationship beyond just sex. All of these factors can play a crucial role in determining whether a given action actually violates professional rules and regulations or not. Even if it does, there are further questions to ask, such as what qualifies as a fair sanction in such cases.

What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?

You can count on the attorneys who work for the Lento Law Firm to pressure licensing boards to take all the information into account. Our Professional License Defense Team is highly experienced. We know there are gray areas when it comes to patient care, and we're practiced at helping licensing boards understand that context is everything.

You're a professional, but you're not a lawyer, and you should never try to handle a license defense on your own. The very moment you're charged with an offense, or if you simply worry that you might be facing some kind of scrutiny from your professional board, you need to contact the Lento Law Firm for help.

To find out more about exactly what the Lento Law Firm can do for you, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.