Focused counsel for sensitive medical staff matters

Peer review requires a process that is fair, defensible, and responsive to the realities of patient care and hospital operations. Reed Claymon advises hospitals, health systems, physician organizations, and medical staff leaders on peer review matters from the first concern through hearing, resolution, and follow-through. The firm brings decades of experience with medical staff bylaws, credentialing, fair-hearing procedures, reporting obligations, and the practical considerations that accompany significant medical staff decisions. Lawyers associated with the firm also serve as neutral mediators and hearing officers in complex medical staff matters and other health care disputes.

Focus: Medical staff peer review, credentialing, fair hearings, and mediation

Clients: Hospitals, health systems, physician organizations, medical staffs, public entities, associations, and related providers

Work: Bylaws, peer review procedures, corrective actions, hearings, mediation, and governance-sensitive medical staff matters

Scope: Strategic advice, procedural guidance, hearing support, mediation, and practical resolution

Matters that call for judgment as much as resolution

Medical staff matters sit at the intersection of quality, governance, and patient care, and they often move quickly. Reed Claymon advises hospital boards, medical executive committees, and medical staff leaders on investigations, summary suspensions, corrective actions, and fair hearings. The firm has drafted and implemented medical staff bylaws and hearing procedures for community hospitals and large health systems, including unified medical staff structures.

The firm also helps clients address the related obligations that may accompany a peer-review matter, including credentialing, reporting, and employment considerations. Its role is to help clients use a sound process, make informed decisions, and protect the integrity of the institution and its medical staff.

Mediation and hearing services

Mediation offers a practical path to resolution when a medical staff or health care dispute can be resolved more effectively outside a contested hearing or court proceeding. Lawyers associated with Reed Claymon have conducted hundreds of mediations and peer-review proceedings, including more than 30 peer-review mediations for large multi-hospital systems.

The firm’s mediators and hearing officers bring familiarity with hospital operations, medical staff bylaws, and the responsibilities of trustees and senior leadership. That experience helps parties work toward durable resolutions while accounting for the operational, professional, and institutional consequences of the matter.

Representative matters

Served as hearing officer and mediator in medical staff peer review and termination proceedings for major nonprofit health systems.
Conducted more than 30 peer review mediations for large multi-hospital systems, helping resolve disputes without protracted litigation or disruption to hospital operations.
Served as hearing officer in a major medical staff peer review termination proceeding for a large Texas health system, managing multiple pre-hearing matters and a multi-day evidentiary hearing.
Advised on medical staff bylaws, peer review procedures, and related documents that shape how contested matters are handled.
Assisted hospitals and other providers in analyzing and preparing self-disclosures to the Office of Inspector General and CMS involving fraud, anti-kickback, billing, and Stark-related issues.
Advised entities in the investigation of compliance matters and the filing of appropriate regulatory self-disclosures.
Represented health care entities in government investigations and the resolution of qui tam matters.
Counseled hospitals and boards in governance conflicts, including response strategy, board education, and related institutional issues.
Guided providers through administrative and regulatory matters involving licensure, Medicare participation, and corrective action obligations.
Assisted clients with sensitive matters where operational continuity, community relationships, and regulatory response all required coordination.

Areas of work

Medical staff bylaws, policies, and procedures
Credentialing, corrective action, peer review, and fair-hearing processes
Medical staff investigations, summary suspensions, and related hearing support
Medical staff reporting, employment, and governance considerations
Mediation of peer-review and other health care matters
Hearing-officer services for medical staff proceedings
Governance-sensitive matters involving boards, leadership, and medical staffs
Strategic guidance for resolving sensitive medical staff issues

Clients in this practice

Nonprofit and faith-based hospital systems
Public and governmental hospitals and hospital districts
Rural and community hospitals across Texas
Multi-hospital systems with unified medical staffs
Physician-led groups and hospital-based physician practices

For matters that require careful process and steady judgment