Introduction
Heather is an officer in Fredrikson & Byron’s Health Care and Corporate Groups. Her practice focuses on providing regulatory and transactional advice to clients in the health care field. Heather provides comprehensive advice to clients on a variety of issues, including state and federal regulatory compliance, complex transactions involving physician-hospital relationships, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, medical staff matters, licensing, employment matters, government investigations and inquiries, and contracting.
Education
- Drake University Law School, J.D., with highest honors, 2001
- Grand View College, B.S., 1996
Bar Admissions
- Iowa
Practice Areas
Representative Experience
- Acquisition of metropolitan hospital for health system client
- Acquisition of large, single-specialty physician practice group for hospital client
- Acquisition and disposition of several long-term care facilities, including transactions involving like-kind exchanges
- Conducted and coordinated internal investigations and responses to government agencies on matters related to alleged regulatory violations
- Provision of advice and counseling concerning establishment of physician-hospital relationships, including employment agreements, recruitment agreements, professional services agreements, joint ventures, co-management agreements and clinic integrations
- Development, negotiation and documentation of significant contracts such as IT system and software contracts, consulting contracts, management contracts
- Development and maintenance of HIPAA compliance programs, EMTALA policies and procedures, medical staff bylaws, peer review policies
- Assistance to hospitals, including CAHs, in obtaining state and federal approvals and financing for construction projects
Selected Publications & Presentations
- “340B Drug Discount Program,” Health Law Webinar, May 8, 2013
- “OSHA’s New Initiative”, Iowa Health Care Association Convention and Trade Show, October 2012
- “Records, Religion and Retaliation”, Iowa Health Care Association, August 2012
- Stage 2 Meaningful Use” Iowa e-Health Summit, August 2012
- “Iowa Board of Medicine Proposes New Self-Reporting Requirements,” FredALERT: Health Law, June 2012
- “Meaningful Use: The current and future landscape for the EHR Incentive Payment Program,” Fredrikson & Byron Health Law Webinar Series, June 2012
- “Antitrust Review: Recent Developments in Health Care,” Iowa Society of Healthcare Attorneys Annual Meeting, May 2012
- Health Care Reform,” Iowa Hospital Association Annual Meeting, October 2010
- “Meaningful Use Overview,” Prairie Health Ventures Executive Leadership Retreat, July 2010
- “Meaningful Use,” Iowa Medical Group Manager Association Meeting, April 2010
- “Anti-Mark-Up and Stark: Is Your Facility in Compliance?” Iowa Hospital Association Annual Meeting, October 2009
- “Stark Law Update,” Iowa Hospital Association Annual meeting, October 2008
- “Interviews/Quotes
Professional Activities
- President, Iowa Society of Healthcare Attorneys (May 2012 – present)
- Chair, Iowa State Bar Association (ISBA) Health Law Section (June 2007 – 2009)
- Member, Board of Directors of the House of Mercy (July 2010 – present)
- Member, Iowa Hospital Association
- Member, American Health Lawyers Association
Honors & Distinctions
- Iowa Super Lawyer, Iowa Super Lawyers magazine
- Order of the Coif
- Graduate, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Class of 2006 – 2007
- Member, Sigma Theta Tau, Honor Society of Nursing
Community Involvement
- Member, Board of Directors, House of Mercy