Associate General Counsel, Security & Safety, Norton Healthcare

As Associate General Counsel, this position is responsible for providing legal services throughout the system with a focus on Security and Safety issues.  In this capacity, the individual will evaluate and respond to legal issues brought to the department by various internal customers, including board members, officers, members of the medical staff, executive managers, supervisors, human resources, and clinical and non-clinical staff.  This individual will coordinate and evaluate the work of outside counsel; monitor and promote the organization’s compliance with all applicable laws and regulations so as to reduce the risk of financial loss to the organization; have broad discretionary authority to make and implement decisions on a system-wide basis.

General Legal Accountabilities:

• General Legal - Monitor and promote compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.
• General Health care issues – Counsel healthcare providers on issues such as consent to medical treatment, limiting access to patients, privacy of patients, etc.; intervene in requests for medical records as appropriate; assist in patient-hospital issues as necessary.
• Norton Healthcare department advisement – Supports and advises Norton Security and Safety departments on a variety of matters, including criminal matters, workplace violence events, and potential threats to safety of patients and staff members; collaborates with Human Resources regarding staff safety and security issues; Risk Management department- manages and determines resolution of claims and litigation, including professional and general liability claims; selects, directs and oversees outside counsel and expenses, manages self-insurance trust reserves and claims.

Security & Safety Accountabilities:

• Reviews daily Security reports and follows up with facility/office leaders as needed; directs certain reports to Risk Management and/or Organizational Integrity (Compliance).
• Reviews all workplace violence event reports from safety reporting system, follows up with affected employee(s) and/or manager(s)/director(s) of areas, acts as a liaison to outside counsel if employees wish to seek criminal charges, collaborates with Director of Workplace Violence to ensure compliance with state and federal laws.
• Participates in threat assessment-related team meetings as needed (due to either a workplace violence event or a threat made against a staff member or facility).
• Collaborates with Security, clinical leaders and staff members when it may be necessary to ban or dismiss a patient or visitor from Norton globally or from a specific facility or office.
• Collaborates with and directs outside counsel regarding engagements emanating from criminal activity occurring on Norton premises.
• Acts as legal resource for Security team by providing counsel to team members, acting as a liaison to law enforcement agencies for any requests for evidence, etc., and assisting with policies owned by Security.
• Serves as a resource for exploring a potential shift from a System Security Department to licensed Police Department(s) in Indiana and/or Kentucky.
• Receives and processes subpoenas from local, state, and federal agencies directed to Norton employees involving criminal matters and family court (abuse, neglect and/or dependency) matters.
• Potential to manage and oversee professional and general liability claims and lawsuits against hospitals and employed providers.
• Potential to direct investigations of adverse events and potential claims arising at various locations.
• Provides legal counsel to the organization and health care providers on a variety of risk management and legal issues, such as consent to medical treatment, patient rights, and federal and state agency investigations, and intervenes in patient-hospital issues as needed.

Required:

• Minimum of three years of experience practicing law in Kentucky.
• Juris doctorate degree.
• Active Member of Kentucky and/or Indiana State bar.

Desired:

• Minimum of three years of experience practicing law primarily within the Criminal Court System in Kentucky and/or Indiana.
• Relationships with leadership at local police departments, prosecutors, and/or other governmental agencies.