Jessica concentrates her practice on a broad array of cases and issues for health care institutional and individual providers, including regulatory and operational compliance, litigation, and corporate/transactional matters. Prior to joining Poyner Spruill, she represented academic medical centers, hospitals, physicians, nurses, and nursing homes in alleged medical malpractice claims and lawsuits. Jessica is also a Registered Nurse and a prior Captain in the U.S. Army.
Representative Experience
Regulatory and Operational Compliance – Advises clients on complying with EMTALA and CMS Conditions of Participation, conducting peer review, responding to complaints, billing for services, and understanding advance directives. Assists covered entities and business associates to navigate and comply with HIPAA and HITECH rules.
Litigation – Represents health care institutions in matters involving facility licensure and reimbursement and health planning. Also represents individual health care providers before their respective licensing boards.
Corporate/Transactional – Drafts and negotiates various contracts for individual and institutional providers, including physicians, hospitals, hospices, pharmacies, and others. Has assisted hospitals with interpretation, application, and revision of medical staff bylaws.
Clinical/Leadership – As a clinical charge nurse in two major Army Medical Centers, provided and coordinated care for critically ill patients, served as a preceptor for new critical care nurses, organized a Critical Care Seminar and delivered a presentation to over 100 health care professionals, and served as Junior Officer Council representative to senior leadership.
HIPAA: Demystifying the Implications for Financial Institutions, North Carolina Banking Institute Journal, Volume 8, 2004
Presentations
It's Not a Day at the Beach - HITECH: What Agencies Need to Know, Association for Home and Hospice Care Annual Leadership Conference (October 2010)
Designing a Plan for Incapacity: Advance Directives in North Carolina, NC Assisted Living Association Fall Conference (October 2009)
Legal Issues in Hospice Care: Medical Record Documentation, Association for Home and Hospice Care Annual Convention (April 2009)
Responding to Medical Board Complaints, Duke University Department of Surgery Medical/Legal Seminar Series (May 2007)
read all representative experience
Prior Legal Experience
Jessica's legal career began as an Associate with Patterson, Dilthey, Clay, & Bryson, LLP, in Raleigh in 2005. Prior to joining Poyner Spruill, she was with Young, Moore and Henderson, PA, also in Raleigh, from 2007 to 2008.