All medical practitioners are expected to adhere to strict ethical and professional conduct guidelines, such as the Code of Medical Ethics, to enhancing patient care. The medical profession focuses on these stipulations to ensure that medical practitioners act professionally, especially towards patients. Thus, medical practitioners who violate the codes of conduct or are accused of acting negligently at the workplace may face disciplinary action, such as revoking their medical practicing licenses. Losing one's medical license means one cannot legally practice medicine. Practitioners who find themselves in a bind should consult a medical license defense attorney for legal advice. Below are ways in which a medical license defense attorney helps clients retain their license:

Develop a Defense Strategy

The primary role of a medical license defense attorney is to develop a defense strategy that will likely succeed before the medical licensing board. The medical license defense attorney first reviews the facts of the case and the charge before preparing a defense strategy. Physicians are advised to hire a competent and experienced medical license defense attorney for a few reasons. First, state laws regulating physician conduct vary. Thus, a physician needs an experienced legal practitioner who knows the state laws to develop a defense. Moreover, there are various charges a practitioner could face, all of which have their applicable defenses. Thus, physicians should retain competent and experienced attorneys to come up with a strong defense.

Gather Supporting Evidence

There are various charges a physician facing disciplinary action may face. Some of the charges include driving under the influence, using an expired license, and drug diversion. The charges have varying applicable defenses, requiring different evidence. For instance, some charges require testamentary evidence from expert witnesses and parties to the suit, while other charges such as using an expired license may require documentary evidence. An experienced medical license defense attorney collects all relevant and admissible evidence and presents it on behalf of their client to beat the charges. 

Represent the Case Before the Board

While practitioners facing disciplinary action before the medical licensing board have the option of self-representation, they are strongly advised to hire legal representatives. Given that the hearings before the licensing board determine whether a practitioner keeps their license or not, it is best to let an experienced medical license defense attorney handle the matter. A medical license defense attorney knows what to say on their client's behalf, has the experience to challenge the evidence presented, and can call expert witnesses before the board. Thus, practitioners increase their chances of success greatly when they hire competent medical license defense attorneys.

For more information, contact a law firm, such as Spiga & Associates.