Joseph J. Feltes

• Represents physicians and hospitals in compliance, contracting and medical staff issues, including credentialing, corrective action and disruptive physician issues
• Advises companies and individuals on how to avoid liability for social media, email and Internet use, and how to implement retention and disposition policies for electronically stored records
• Represents healthcare providers in antitrust, credentialing, false claims, fraud and abuse and malpractice litigation
• Represents acute care and rehabilitation hospitals, physicians, managed care plans and TPAs, durable medical equipment suppliers and other healthcare providers and suppliers
• Represents employers in discrimination in drafting employee handbooks and compliance policies
• Defends manufacturers and suppliers in product liability cases
• Experienced in HIPAA Privacy
• Experienced in representing physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals before Ohio licensing boards

• Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., cum laude, 1978)
• University of Pittsburgh (M.A., with distinction, 1972)
• John Carroll University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1970)
• Loyola University, Rome, Italy

Admissions

• Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

• United Way Gold Key Award for Community Service (2019)
• Named Best Lawyers in America® ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in the Akron area for Health Care Law (2012, 2016, 2018, 2021, 2024)
• Listed in Best Lawyers in America® (2009-2024)
• Selected for inclusion in Ohio’s Super Lawyers® (2004-2005, 2007, 2010-2024), as voted by his peers
• Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating of AV® Preeminent™, which is the highest possible rating in both legal and ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the Bar
• Recognized as one of the Top Lawyers in Northeastern Ohio in Akron Life Magazine (2009-2018)

• Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Directors/Executive Committee
• Canton Regional Chamber Health Fund (MEWA), Member, Board of Directors
• Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Celebration Host Committee, Member
• AultCare Corporation, Vice-Chair, Board of Directors
• AultCare Holding Company, Secretary, Board of Directors
• AultCare Insurance Company, Secretary, Board of Directors
• AultCare Health Insuring Corporation, Secretary, Board of Directors
• American Health Lawyers Association
• Society of Ohio Hospital Attorneys
• Canton Museum of Art, Immediate Past-President, Board of Trustees
• Access Health Stark County, Member, Board of Directors
• Friends of the Summit, Board of Directors
• Pregnancy Support Center, Advisory Board

• Friends of the Summit, Former Chair, Executive Committee

Associations

• American Bar Association
  • Health Law and Antitrust Sections
• Ohio State Bar Association
  • Health Law Committee
• Stark County Bar Association

Presentations:

• Mr. Feltes speaks on health law, provider compliance, medical staff and problem physician remediation, e-mail and communication issues, HIPAA, and related issues for various organizations and clients throughout the Midwest.
• "Physicians and Social Media: Two Tweets and Call Me in the Morning!" webcast for the Ohio State Bar Association (2016)
• “HIPAA: When you Can Disclose Information to Facilitate Patient Care," Akron General Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry at Northeastern Ohio Medical University (2014)
• “HIPAA 2013 – Meeting Today’s Challenges,” Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging (2013)
• “Contracts – Offers You Can’t Refuse!” Akron General Medical Center Senior Retreat for Residents (2013)
• “Hospital Peer Review Hearing Procedures for Medical Staff,” Akron University School of Law (2013)
• “Email, Text, Blogs & Posts: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly," Aultcare Quick Connect Networking Luncheon (2013)
• “Mental Health Professional's Duty to Warn after Aurora, Sandy Hook, and Chardon," Akron General Grand Rounds (2013)
• “Hospital Hearing Procedures for Hospital Medical Staff," Ohio State Bar Association (2012)
• Webinar: "COBRA Changes Under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," Employers Health (2009)
• Moderator: Stark County Medical Society Legislative Forum (2009)
• “Adventures and Misadventures of E-Mail and the Internet,” Bruner-Cox LLP (2008)
• “Physicians Behaving Badly, Jerks, Juveniles, and the Otherwise Impaired,” Akron General Medical Center (2008)
• “HIPAA, the Internet & Beyond,” Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons (2008)
• “Sarbanes-Oxley In Ohio: Compliance for Health Care Entities,” Lorman Education Services (2006)
• “Bridges to Excellence: Data Collection, Use, and Reporting from a Legal Perspective,” co- sponsors: Employers Health Purchasing Company of Ohio and the Stark County Medical Society (2006)
• “Collateral Consequences for Healthcare Professionals Arising from Criminal Convictions,” Akron Bar Association, Criminal Law Committee (2006)
• “Spam I Am – Not: The Adventures and Misadventures of E-mail and the Internet,” Akron Society for Human Resource Management (2006)
• “Business Ethics for Employers in a Post-Enron World” (2006)
• “The Misadventures of E-mail and the Internet,” Ohio State Bar Association Spring Education Program (2006)
• “Liability for Teachers and School Systems Arising Out of Bad Behavior,” College of Wooster (2006)
• “Liability Concerns for High School and Middle School Coaches” (2006)
• “The Importance of Effective Communication for Preventing Lawsuits,” Northern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (2005)
• “Political and Societal Effects on the Delivery of Healthcare,” Mount Union College (2005)

• "Ohio's Medical Marijuana Law Progresses, but Are Physicians Willing to Recommend?" MD News (2017)
• Co-author "Ohio's Medical Marijuana Law Leaves Doctors Hungry for More Information," MD News (2016)
• "Ohio Court Affirms Need for Doctors to Submit Documentation to be Paid," MD News (2016)
• "Dismantling the Booby Trap," MD News (2016)
• "New provider base rules impact off-campus hospital outpatient departments," MD News (2016)
• Quoted in "Legal Tools Help Artists Protect Their Work," Akron Legal News (2015)
• "Take Two Texts and Tweet Me in the Morning," MD News (2015)
• Quoted in "Adhering to HIPPA in the Age of Smartphones," Akron Legal News (2015)
• "Office of Inspector General Nixes Lab Proposal to Physicians," MD News (2015)
• “Loose Lips Sink Ships,” MD News (2015)
• “State Medical Board Complaint Can Fuel ED Med/Mal Suit, and Vice Versa: Don’t Go It Alone,” ED Legal Letter (2015)
• “Expanding Ohio’s ‘I’m Sorry’ Law,” MD News (2015)
• “OIG Seeks to Expand: Civil Monetary Penalties,” MD News (2014)
• “Ohio Broadens Peer Review Statuses,” MD News (2014)
• “Patient, Heal Thyself?” MD News (2014)
• Author of chapter: “Informal Dispute Resolution and Its Use in Peer Review,” Peer Review Guidebook
• “Giving Physician Recommendations:  A Cautionary Tale,” Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD News (2013)
• “New Legal Requirements for Notifying Patients When a Physician’s Employment Ends,” Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD News (2013)
• “HIPAA’s New 563-Page Megarule,” Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD News (2013)
• “Office of Inspector General Issues Advisory Opinion on Per Diem Pay for ED Coverage,” Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD News (2013)
• “Lab Test: Management Proposal Poses Anti-Kickback Risk,” Akron/Canton MD News (2012)
• “The Top 10 List You Don’t Want to Make,” CAkron/Canton MD News (2011)
• “Stimulus Incentives: Look Before You Leap," Cleveland /Akron /Canton M.D. News (2009)
• “Risks Rising for 'Delayed Diagnosis' ED Litigation," ED Legal Letter (2009)
• “Happy 5th Birthday, HIPAA!” Cleveland/Akron/Canton MD News (2008)
• “Discovery of Electronically Stored Information, How Ohio’s Proposed Civil Rules Might Affect Physician Practices,” Akron/Canton MD News (2008)
• “How a Doctor’s Blog Turned His Defense into a Fleabag,” Akron/Canton MD News (2007)
• “Email Communication: Mind Your Mouse,” Ophthalmology Magazine (2006)
• “Pay-for-Performance: A Way for Hospitals to Bond with Their Medical Staffs,” Hospitals & Health Systems Rx (American Health Lawyers Association) (2006)
• “Pay-for-Performance: Giving Your Practice a Shot-In-the-Arm,” MD News (2006)
• “Going Bare?” Ophthalmology Management (2005)
• “Disruptive Physicians: An Alternative to Formal Corrective Action,” The Cleveland Bar Journal (2004)
• “‘I’m Sorry’ – A Prescription for Preventing Malpractice Suits,” MD News (2004)