Monica R. Chmielewski is special counsel with Foley & Lardner LLP and co-chair of the Life Sciences Industry Team. She focuses her practice solely in representing health care providers and pharmaceutical and medical device companies in the area of health care, health care transactional work, clinical research and food and drug law.
Mrs. Chmielewski counsels healthcare entities and pharmaceutical companies regarding the operation and functions of their corporate compliance and integrity programs, including assisting with the composition and development of programs; reviewing and assessing existing program effectiveness; providing compliance education and training of personnel, executive management and board members; coordinating internal investigations of compliance related concerns; and recommending any needed corrective action. She has counseled, in both in-house and outside counsel roles, individual hospitals, health systems, hospices, skilled nursing facilities and pharmaceutical companies on matters of corporate compliance.
Mrs. Chmielewski’s experience includes particular compliance issues arising under the False Claims Act, Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute, EMTALA, Civil Monetary Penalties Law, licensure/certification, and HIPAA; working with providers on properly responding to governmental and accreditation audits and more formal investigations; and working directly with provider compliance officers and general counsel to advise them on the latest legal and Office of Inspector General requirements and standards.
Mrs. Chmielewski assists in providing daily counsel to numerous hospitals, academic medical centers, biotech and pharmaceutical and medical device companies regarding compliance with regulations governing all aspects of clinical research, IRB issues, the conduct of international clinical trials, government investigations and audits, pharmaceutical product promotion, CME, preparation of research contracts, grant administration, GCP issues, customs import and export issues, hospital and physician issues, joint venture and other collaborative efforts, preparation and review of hospital, physician and other provider contracts, HIPAA, physician recruitment, corporate compliance issues, medical staff and peer review, accreditation matters, and Medicare reimbursement issues. She also has participated as transactional counsel in numerous health care and corporate transactions, including the merger, purchase and sale, or transfer of sponsorship of hospitals, physician-owned surgery centers, health systems, and physician practices; and the formation of ancillary services joint ventures.
Prior to her law firm practice, Mrs. Chmielewski served as in-house counsel for Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America. Inc. in Illinois, and as in-house counsel for Ascension Health in Missouri.
Mrs. Chmielewski earned her law degree, cum laude, from Wayne State University and is a member of the Order of the Coif. She received an undergraduate degree in government and ancient history and archeology from Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Chmielewski is admitted to practice in Illinois and Michigan.