You have spent time and money getting the education you need, passing boards, and going through the licensure process in your state. You went through all of this effort so you could build a nice career for yourself, helping others. Your career and the livelihood that your career allows all depend on your professional license.
Unfortunately, just a single complaint lodged against you by a patient, colleague, or co-worker can trigger an investigation which may ultimately result in disciplinary action against you—up to and including revoking your license to dispense hearing aids.
If you are facing an investigation, you are probably filled with questions about what is likely an unexpected event. This may be the first time you've experienced anything like this, and it is very different than what you trained for as a hearing aid specialist or dispenser. How do you respond to a complaint? What does the disciplinary process look like? What happens if you lose your license? You'll want to consult with an experienced license defense attorney to help you navigate these treacherous waters.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Professional License Defense Team have helped many licensed and certified professionals across the United States who are in your situation. They know the licensing and disciplinary process and can help you find the best resolution to your situation.
What Types of Offenses Could Cause Someone to Lose Their License as a Hearing Aid Specialist?
As with all healthcare fields, there is a wide range of violations and issues that can trigger an investigation of your license or certification to practice as a hearing aid specialist. In most cases, the complaint will have something to do with violating state policies or codes of conduct, or otherwise violating the public trust.
One of the more common examples is gross negligence or incompetence. Performing your job poorly can not only be ineffective, but can be harmful to your patients. Poorly fitted or improperly configured hearing aids can lead to complaints. Not referring a patient to an audiologist for an infection or other ear problem before fitting them for a hearing aid is also a serious offense. These kinds of negligence or incompetence at your job can endanger patients and may be grounds for losing your license.
Fraud or false advertising can also lead to an investigation into your ability to practice your profession. Misrepresenting yourself to patients or overbilling for services or products are classic examples that could land you in hot water.
Unprofessional or unethical conduct towards your patients or colleagues can commonly lead to an official investigation into your license. These kinds of charges can involve many different behaviors, but they mostly fall into the categories of inappropriate office behavior, abusive office behavior, or sexual harassment and misconduct. These can be very serious offenses, the worst of which could also involve accompanying legal trouble.
Another issue that will often cause problems with the professional license of a healthcare professional is substance use disorder. Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work will obviously create problems for you, but even excessive drinking or use of other substances on your personal time can cast doubt on your judgment and job performance.
In many states, being convicted of a crime is grounds for losing your license. Any crime can be an issue, but particularly crimes of moral turpitude or a serious felony.
What Other Penalties Are Possible Besides Losing My License?
Depending on the severity of the offense and/or the circumstances surrounding it, the licensing body may choose to impose lesser penalties that don't involve the complete revocation of your license. Examples of these penalties include:
- License suspension. Your license can be suspended temporarily, subject to further review after certain conditions are met.
- License restriction. This is where you can keep your license, but the activities you can perform or services you can offer may be restricted by the investigating body.
- Fines. You may be able to keep your license and continue practicing your profession after paying a monetary fine.
- Requirements for continuing education. If the investigating body feels that the offense occurred because of a lapse in your education, they can mandate specific continuing education courses as a condition for maintaining your license.
- Probation. Probation means that you can continue to practice, but your activity will be carefully monitored by the licensing body for a set period of time.
- Formal reprimand. This can be either a public or private censure.
While any of these alternatives is better than losing your license altogether, any one of them can still have a negative impact on your career. In the age of the internet, even a private reprimand could end up being discovered and affect your career, so you need to mount the best defense possible.
Hire the Lento Law Firm for Help
You certainly have the right to defend yourself from an investigation into your license, but you don't have the training or the scope of knowledge of an experienced license defense attorney. It would be like a patient trying to fit their own hearing aid based on information they got from Wikipedia. Hiring a professional license attorney with experience in dealing with licensing boards immediately improves your prospects of keeping your license intact.
A licensing body doesn't have the same burden of proof that criminal cases have, so the bar is that much higher in mounting your defense. An experienced license defense attorney with a long record of success understands this and will be prepared to fight for you so you can protect your license and maintain your livelihood.
Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team has the experience and track record to put together the strongest defense of your license, no matter which state you practice in. Contact us online or at (888) 535-3686 as soon as you are made aware of a complaint against you to help us get the best outcome possible for you.
