Susan L. Kimble

Susan Kimble is a health care attorney with extensive experience counseling health care clients in regulatory, compliance, privacy, clinical risk management and related legal matters. She has defended hundreds of clinicians in medical malpractice litigation and licensing matters, managed and advised health systems through regulatory surveys, provided day-to-day legal guidance to individual clinicians, practice groups, and health systems, and developed and delivered legal, risk management, and medical staff education. With experience serving in-house for two health systems and two health-tech startups, Susan offers a deep understanding of the complexities within the evolving health care industry and a unique insider’s perspective on clinical and business operations.

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Education

Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., 2006; Law-Medicine Scholarship; Honor Court Chief Justice

University of Virginia B.A., Biology; minor in Bioethics, 2003

Admissions

Washington

Oregon (Inactive)

Virginia (Associate) 

Health Care Regulatory and Compliance Advice

• Advised and represented health system during complex and lengthy TJC survey and successfully negotiated with CMS to resolve findings and avoid termination track.
• Advised health systems on difficult-to-discharge patients (adult and pediatric) to acceptable outcomes involving reasonable and successful discharge.
• Prepared clinicians for and supported clinical team during patient and family meetings involving withdrawal of treatment at height of COVID-19 pandemic.
• Advised health systems on development and enforcement of vaccination protocols and policies for employees.
• Provided advice and counsel to hospital Bioethics Committee, Institutional Review Board, and Medical Staff on urgent and routine matters involving various legal and clinical issues.

Health Care Disputes and Litigation

• Defended physicians of various specialties, including vascular surgery, neurosurgery, cardiology, and hospital medicine in jury trials involving allegations of negligent patient care.
• Represented a general surgeon in a hearing before the Oregon Medical Board against allegations of negligence in patient care and procedural technique.
• Represented a health system’s medical staff in a Fair Hearing involving a pediatric interventionalist.

Health Care Investigations

• Advised hospital Chief Medical Officer in multiple pending investigations related to medical staff bylaw compliance and physician behavior.
• Conducted investigation into concerning physician behavior during pediatric clinic appointments.

Health Care Education and Training

• Developed and presented regular education sessions for team of behavioral health clinicians practicing in 51 jurisdictions.
• Advised on development of credentialing program and supported successful NCQA accreditation process for primary care and behavioral health practices.
• Provided education and counseling on insurance purchasing considerations and strategy for clients ranging from multi-billion-dollar health system to small and growing physician group.

Professional

• Washington State Bar Association, Member
• Washington State Society of Healthcare Attorneys, Member

• Bioethics Committee MultiCare Health System, Member (2017-2021)
• IRB Committee St. Charles Health System, Member (2015-2017)