CHA’s legal department works on behalf of member hospitals and health systems in a variety of ways:

• Advocating before the courts both as a party in litigation and as amicus curiae in important appellate cases
• Assisting hospital compliance officers, privacy officers, and other staff with compliance with the myriad federal and state laws that govern hospital administration and the delivery of health care. This includes CHA’s California Health Information Privacy Manual, a California-specific resource that compares privacy requirements under HIPAA to state laws, and the California Hospital Compliance Manual, which covers high-risk compliance issues.
• Representing the interests of California hospitals before state and federal courts in lawsuits involving MICRA, reimbursement, labor and employment, medical staff, and other issues
• Assistance with medical staff bylaws
• Expertise in mental health law

This section also includes information about the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Licensing and Certification Division, which is responsible for the licensure, regulation, inspection, and certification of health care facilities and certain health care professionals in California.