Karen C. Owens

Karen’s practice focuses on health care administrative, regulatory, operations, and litigation matters. She regularly represents health care systems, hospitals, clinics, and other institutions in matters of quality management, medical staff peer review, practitioner credentialing, hospital and medical staff bylaws, government reporting, medical staff structure, and confidentiality. She also counsels hospitals and health care entities with respect to Medicare certification, state licensure, EMTALA compliance, and many other regulatory matters touching clinical operations. Karen advises health care clients in antitrust, contracting, and other disputes related to hospital and medical staff relationships. She has substantial experience handling contested matters before administrative bodies including private peer review panels, Medicare QIOs, AHCCCS, the Joint Commission, and various state professional boards. She also works actively on patient-related legal issues including refusal of treatment and advance directives.

EDUCATION AND BAR ADMISSIONS

• J.D., Vanderbilt Law School, 1983, Order of the Coif; Articles Editor, Vanderbilt Law Review, 1982-83
• A.B., Brown University, 1978
• Admitted in Arizona, 1984
• Admitted in Washington D.C., 1984

CLERKSHIPS

• Hon. Mary Schroeder, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1983-84

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Advising hospitals and medical staff leaders on peer review procedures; development and drafting of medical staff bylaws, policies and procedures, and governing board resolutions regarding peer review processes
• Working with hospitals, surgicenters, and medical staff leaders on individual peer review matters; representing medical executive committees in peer review hearings, appeals, litigation, settlement, and state and federal reporting issues, Karen has represented hospitals, surgicenters, and managed care organizations in more than thirty fair hearings
• Counseling hospitals on implications of medical staff conflict of interest provisions
• Assisting hospitals, surgicenters, and other health care institutions in responding to surveys and deficiency statements from state and federal agencies; assisting in the development, implementation, and monitoring of plans of correction and dispute resolution statements
• Representing the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association as general counsel, with emphasis on regulatory and legislative developments; participating in state government stakeholder processes in development of Arizona Department of Health Services hospital regulations and Arizona Medical Board regulations

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND RECOGNITIONS

• Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Health Care (1999-present) and Antitrust (2003-present)
• Listed in Super Lawyers (Southwest) for Health Care (20009-present)
• Member, American Health Lawyers Association, 1984-present
• Vice Chair of Licensure, Certification & Accreditation Practice Group, American Bar Association Health Law Section, 2002-03
• Co-founder, 1992; member, 1992-present; member, Board of Directors, 1992-96, Arizona Association of Healthcare Lawyers
• Member, 1985-present; Council Member, 1992-96, Arizona State Bar Antitrust Section

REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS AND SPEECHES

• “Peer Review for Medical Staff Leaders,” Hospital Medical Staff leadership retreat presentation, 2007
• “Dealing with Disruptive Physicians,” Hospital Medical Staff Executive Committee presentation, 2007
• “Quality Management” and “Reproductive /End of Life Issues” classes, Health Care Law course, Arizona State University College of Law, 2007
• “EMTALA: On-Call Physicians,” Hospital General Medical Staff meeting presentation, 2006
• “Peer Review Today: New Challenges and Effective Strategies,” Arizona Association of Medical Staff Services, 2006
• “Hospital Patient Grievance Procedures: Controversial New Standards,” Arizona Society for Hospital Risk Management, 2005
• “Conflict Credentialing: The New Hospital-Physician Relationship,” Arizona Association of Healthcare Lawyers, 2004