Publication Date

2015

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The passage and implementation of the Affordable Care Act is propelling transformations in health care. The transformations include integration of clinics and hospitals, value based care, patient centeredness, transparency, computerized business models and universal coverage. These shifts are influencing the practice of health law, a vibrant specialty field considered a "hot" area for new lawyers. The paper examines how the transformations in health care are intersecting with ongoing trends in law practice: increase in in-house positions, collaboration between medical and legal professionals, and the continued search for increased access to legal representation for ordinary people. Three health law workplace sites are discussed: in house offices, corporate law firms and medical legal partnerships. The analysis shows that these practices are adapting to the health care context by locating new clients, increased collaboration with clients and medical providers, developing business strategies and linking with other legal service providers. The lawyers are reconstructing professional identities as they create these practices, using their expertise and working as collaborators. Organizations of similar practitioners support the development of these identities. The paper discusses the three arenas where lawyers can learn the necessary competencies for these transformations in health law: law schools, inter-professional education and communities of practice.

Publication Title

Indiana Health Law Review

Volume

12

Issue

1

Download

Share

COinS