Mel Soliz joins SHARES Advisory Board as Group Awarded National Institute of Health Grant

Mel Soliz has joined the Substance use HeAlth REcord Sharing (SHARES) Advisory Board as it kicks off its $3.2 million, five-year National Institute of Health (NIH) grant. Formed under ASU’s College of Health Solutions, SHARES uses feedback from patients and providers on substance use disorder (SUD) data sharing and health care to inform policies on data privacy and confidentiality. The board also analyzes the implementation and impact of automated SUD data segmentation to improve data sharing and interoperability between healthcare institutions and service delivery. Mel ― who is also recognized by Chambers USA©️, Best Lawyers©, and Southwest Super Lawyers: Rising Stars© ― practices regulatory health law, focusing on compliance with health data privacy, access and interoperability laws (such as the Information Blocking Rule and CMS interoperability mandates,...

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Mel Soliz Named an Emerging Leader in Healthcare by Managed Healthcare Executive

Thought leader and sought after-speaker on health data and interoperability, Mel Soliz’s high-profile work has earned her the distinction of being named one of Managed Healthcare Executive’s Emerging Leaders in Healthcare. This honor recognizes talented up-and-coming professionals who are leading the charge in shaping their organizations, making a positive impact in healthcare and inspiring others to make a difference in the industry. Selected for her work with nonprofit health data utilities driving systemic change within the healthcare system and improving healthcare access to underserved populations, this recognition highlights Mel’s commitment to advancing health equity and responsible health data stewardship in her community. It also underscores her unique position as one of the nation's preeminent health data and health equity attorneys. Mel ― who is also recognized by...

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Attorneys Kristen Rosati and Nate Kunz

Kristen Rosati & Nate Kunz Share Insights with the Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys on Online Tracking Tools for Health Care Organizations

After STAT Health News published an investigation into health care organizations' use of online tracking technologies, such as Meta Pixel, the Office for Civil Rights and the Federal Trade Commission launched their own investigations. The FTC has issued substantial fines, and now class actions are being filed across the U.S. The Arizona Society of Healthcare Attorneys hosted Kristen Rosati and Nate Kunz to provide insights on the regulatory and legal issues arising from health care organizations’ use of online tracking technologies. They explained online tracking compliance requirements for HIPAA, Federal Trade Commission regulations, and state data privacy laws. They also discussed best practices for protecting attorney-client privilege and the attorney work product while conducting internal investigations. Kristen, a past President and Fellow of the American Health Law...

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Jill Chasson Discusses Ninth Circuit Decision Highlighting Risks of Offensive Music in the Workplace

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (which includes Arizona) recently ruled that offensive music in the workplace can be considered auditory harassment and provide a basis for a hostile work environment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Employment law partner Jill Chasson explained the case and the importance of the appellate court’s decision in an article for HR Laws. The case involved a warehouse in Nevada where managers and employees continued playing sexually graphic, violent, and misogynistic music despite two years of complaints from both female and male employees. Jill explained that in reviving the case after the trial court dismissed it, the Ninth Circuit confirmed that employers can’t avoid liability by asserting an “equal opportunity harasser”...

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Attorney Michael Aguirre

Three-time Graduate Michael Aguirre Elected to the ASU Foundation’s Board of Directors

A prominent member of the legal community and active participant in several leadership organizations, Coppersmith Brockelman’s Michael Aguirre has been elected to the ASU Foundation’s board of directors. In this role, he will work to unite people, increase philanthropic support, and boost investment in advancing the Foundation’s mission of building an environment focused on inclusion, student success, and development. Known for his extensive work in corporate and business law — and leader of the firm’s Cannabis Law practice — Michael is a three-time ASU alumnus who earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with Honors from Barrett, The Honors College (2000), a Master of Education in Higher and Postsecondary Education (2002), and a Juris Doctor (2005). He has been actively involved with the university and currently...

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Thought Leader Mel Soliz Tapped by AzHIMA and The Health Management Academy to Share Latest Insights on Changes in Health Information Interoperability and Privacy

Accessing health information is becoming increasingly more common through electronic means and devices like patient portals and third-party applications, but it brings with it concerns regarding privacy, security, and the potential misuse of sensitive medical data. Mel Soliz — Partner and leader of the firm’s interoperability practice — delivered a series of presentations in June at the Arizona Health Information Management Association (AzHIMA) Annual Conference in Phoenix and The Health Management Academy Conference in Chicago. The topics focused on federal efforts to increase interoperability and how those efforts affect information sharing, including developments in electronic health information data policies, information blocking, the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), and the use and disclosure of minor health information in compliance with state and federal data laws...

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