As a former senior in-house counsel for two national health care systems, Sarah Swank provides strategic, regulatory and operational advice to health systems, hospitals and academic medical centers, as well as large national and regional physician organizations and telehealth and other startups.
I provide strategic advice to executive leadership at health systems, hospitals, academic medical centers, long-term care, and large physician organizations. I advise clients regarding accountable care organizations (ACOs) and clinically integrated networks through all stages of development, including application into the Medicare Shared Savings Program. I assist with innovative approaches to pay-for-performance, managed care contracting, care coordination, and population health. My experience includes ACOs with multiple hospital systems, physician-owned, joint venture models, medical faculty entities, Federally Qualified Health Centers, children’s hospitals, health information exchanges, long-term care, and hospital-owned health plans.
I counsel major academic medical centers, nationally recognized health systems, and ACOs in launching and growing complex operational programs, such as national and international telehealth, digital health, and AI programs. I work directly with in-house counsel and senior and clinical leadership on strategic development and implementation of telehealth and e-health programs. Additionally, I assist technology startups with regulatory and corporate advice, including HIPAA compliance. I recently assisted an internationally known academic medical center with planning, implementation, and advice regarding telemedicine credentialing, governance, operational, HIPAA, and fraud and abuse matters. My background includes advising academic medical centers on international second opinion programs and strategic planning regarding programmatic international expansion. I have firsthand experience managing these issues as in-house counsel.
My fraud and abuse background focuses on advice and guidance under Stark, the Anti-Kickback Statute, Civil Monetary Penalties, and the False Claims Act related to physician transactions, compliance programs, graduate medical education, clinical research, medical director and other physician arrangements, investigations, and compliance efforts after a corporate integrity agreement (CIA). I integrate operational issues with technical analysis of the fraud and abuse laws to suggest practical solutions. My experience includes acting as fraud and abuse counsel during negotiations with the DOJ on Stark and medical necessity, assisting with structuring physician arrangements and transactions, conducting internal investigations, and advising regarding CIA implementation post-settlement.
My work in the area of clinical research and institutional review boards (IRBs) includes due diligence reviews during hospital mergers, FDA audits, reporting, program evaluation, and compliance of IRB and research programs for academic medical centers and community hospitals. I successfully prepare and advise clients during FDA audits, assist with the integration of research activities into compliance programs and electronic health records and digital implementation, perform HIPAA compliance assessments, and provide training and education to IRBs.
I understand the pressures of general counsel who face increased budgetary demands and the need to adapt to changes in the health care industry. As we move toward value-based care, care coordination, and digital health solutions, my prior experiences provide valuable insight into where the health care industry is heading both nationally and internationally.
Sarah Swank is a national speaker, author, and thought leader in supporting organizations to navigate the rapid changes occurring in health care, including payment reform, ACOs, telehealth, and artificial intelligence. Sarah continues to be an innovator in the health care arena, having presented and authored on various topics, including serving as the first speaker at both HIMSS and the American Telemedicine Association on ACOs as well as the first professional to speak on telehealth issues with the American Health Lawyer Association. A selection of her standout presentations and publications over the years include the following:
Compliance Today | August 02, 2021
Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank contributed this article outlining seven tips for health care executives to help them stay compliant with the new rules, regulations, and trends resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic—examples of which include economic relief for providers, various waived healthcare requirements, and a focus on digital/telehealth.
Skilled Nursing News | July 26, 2021
This article, covering advocates’ push for vaccine mandates among long-term care providers, quotes Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank on the importance of public health officials deciding what is safe in health care settings, and the understanding across states that health care differs from other settings in many respects.
American Health Law Association | July 13, 2021
In this podcast episode, Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with two health care general counsel about the role of caregivers during the pandemic, the challenges they are facing, and how their organizations are providing them with the support they need.
American Health Law Association | April 20, 2021
In this podcast episode, Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with the chief medical officer of Equality Health and a Chicago anesthesiologist about how the health care system has changed over the past decade and the effects of health care laws and regulations on physician practices.
American Health Law Association | April 06, 2021
In this podcast, Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank reunites with the three hospital general counsel from last year’ s initial episode, reflecting on their experiences over the past year and how the pandemic has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. health care system and lessons learned.
AHLA Health Law Connections | April 01, 2021
Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank wrote this article recapping a year of her “Speaking of Health Law” podcast series with general counsel from across the health care landscape. Sarah includes insights from several podcast guests reflecting on the experiences and lessons learned over the past year.
American Health Law Association | March 30, 2021
In this podcast episode, Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with three assistant professors at Johns Hopkins University, who are also co-founders and co-directors of the Johns Hopkins Post-Acute COVID-19 Team Clinic, about the work they are doing related to COVID-19’s long-term effects.
Boston Business Journal | March 24, 2021
This article on Amazon’s plan to offer its own telehealth service to the company’s Massachusetts workers this summer quotes Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank on potential telehealth challenges once temporary cross-state provider licenses expire 30 days after the state of emergency ends.
Washington Business Journal | March 22, 2021
This article on Amazon’s plan to pilot its own in-person health care offerings to HQ2 employees quotes Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank extensively on the different approaches telehealth providers are taking to launching their services, and regulatory challenges they may face post-COVID.
American Health Law Association | March 08, 2021
In this podcast episode, Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with the Chief Legal Officer of Geisinger Health System and the Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Northwell Health about what they hope the next few months will bring, including longer-term trends such as the increased role of telehealth, payment reform, and mental health issues.
American Health Law Association | December 18, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with the Chief Health Care Officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges and a law professor from Wayne State University about what providers need to know now about crisis standards of care to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
American Health Law Association | November 05, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with two health care general counsel about how their hospitals are managing the pandemic response, including how they are dealing with patient load and planning for the future, and supply and workforce issues.
Health Law Connections | October 23, 2020
The latest issue of the American Health Law Association’s magazine includes a Q&A with Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank. In addition to highlighting Sarah’s practice, the feature covers some of Sarah’s very early roles, family life and how she’s managing through the pandemic.
Healthcare Business Today | September 06, 2020
Washington, DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank contributed this article, which analyzes an August 2020 executive order on the expansion of telehealth services amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the article, Sarah discusses what needs to happen in order for these changes to remain in place after the public health emergency has passed.
American Health Law Association | August 31, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with University of Kansas Health System Senior Vice President and General Counsel Dan Peters and University of Southern California Vice President and Managing General Counsel Stacy Rummel Bratcher about how their hospitals are managing the pandemic response.
American Health Law Association | August 06, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with executives of two health care organizations about how their jobs have changed during the pandemic, discussing the challenges of remote workforces, ongoing regulatory changes and scarce resources, among other topics.
HealthTech | July 10, 2020
This article about automation’s increased importance in health care during the pandemic quotes Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank from a panel she moderated at the American Telemedicine Association’s recent 2020 conference. Sarah noted that we are at the very beginning of AI’s expansion in health care.
American Health Law Association | June 30, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with two general counsel on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic about issues that arise with remote work such as cybersecurity, employee morale, and how things might change in the future.
HealthTech | June 24, 2020
This article, covering a panel discussion from the American Telemedicine Association’s 2020 conference, quotes Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank on the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence in virtual care. Sarah moderated the panel, which included health care stakeholders from across the country.
American Health Law Association | June 18, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with two executives on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic about the future of telehealth, and using the pandemic to inform how we should address future public health emergencies. The speakers also discuss how the pandemic may reshape the health care industry, particularly primary care.
American Health Law Association | May 14, 2020
In this podcast episode, Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with two general counsel on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic about how COVID-19 has affected their associations and advocacy activities, and how they are dealing with the related challenges.
American Health Lawyers Association | April 01, 2020
In this podcast, Washington, D.C. Health Care counsel Sarah Swank speaks with three hospital general counsel on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
AHLA Speaking of Health Law | March 26, 2020
Washington DC Health Care counsel Sarah Swank appeared on this American Health Lawyers Association podcast to discuss how medical facilities are ramping up telehealth programs in response to the pandemic.
Healthcare Financial Management Association | March 24, 2020
Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank discusses how waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have allowed hospitals to pursue flexible approaches to patient care during the wave of COVID-19 infections.
Washington Business Journal | March 20, 2020
Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank talks about how a new waiver that expanded the list of video conference apps and platforms permitted under HIPAA for telemedicine could be a game-changer for the industry.
Inside Reproductive Health | March 19, 2020
In this podcast episode, Los Angeles Health Care partner Jill Gordon and Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank discuss new regulations around using telemedicine to reach patients in a time of community quarantines.
Washington Business Journal | March 18, 2020
This article features Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank discussing how hospitals are adjusting to changes in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, and how many hospitals can employ lessons learned during the 2008 recession.
Law360 | March 17, 2020
This Q&A with health care attorneys quotes Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank related to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Section 1135 waivers and what they mean in practice.
AIMed | March 09, 2020
Washington, DC, Health Care counsel Sarah Swank wrote this contributed article analyzing how organizations can avoid fraud and abuse pitfalls as clinical AI services become more prevalent in the industry.
Villanova University School of Law, J.D., cum laude
Skidmore College, B.A., cum laude
District of Columbia
Maryland
New York
Vermont
