Ruby W. Wood

Ruby W. Wood is a partner in the firm’s San Francisco office and co-chair of the firm's Medical Staff Practice Group. She represents multi-institutional health systems, hospitals and/or their medical staffs, and medical groups in a variety of matters. These include internal operations and self-governance; bylaws, rules and regulations and policies; The Joint Commission and other regulatory compliance; credentialing and peer review matters; formal hearings; HIPAA issues; exclusive contracting and closed departments; and the application of the protections afforded to medical staffs under state and federal law (with an emphasis on California Evidence Code section 1157 protection). Her practice also includes matters related to representation in connection with healthcare litigation encompassing medical staff issues, including writ proceedings, subpoena responses, retaliation claims and related allegations.

Ms. Wood advises clients on compliance issues and fair procedure considerations in connection with medical staff practices and procedures, including investigations and risk assessment. She has served as lead counsel in numerous medical staff hearings and litigation matters. Ms. Wood appears in federal and state court and in arbitration on behalf of her clients.

Prior to joining Hooper Lundy & Bookman, Ms. Wood represented clients in a variety of business litigation matters, including healthcare, intellectual property, financial services, employment and real estate issues.

Ms. Wood received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo. She received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law.

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association, Health Law Section
• American Health Lawyers Association, Medical Staff Credentialing and Peer Review Practice Group
• California Society for Healthcare Attorneys

Presentations & Speaking Engagements

• CAMSS 2020 Education Series, When Teamwork Doesn’t Work: The Twists and Turns of Joint Investigations, October 8, 2020
• NAMSS 44th Educational Virtual Conference, Conducting Joint Investigations Collaboratively to Maximize Confidentiality & Privacy Protection, October 8, 2020
• NAMSS Webinar: Practical Pointers for Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Medical Staffs, April 21, 2020
• Webinar: Practical Tips for Medical Staffs in the Face of COVID-19, April 9, 2020
• Sharing Peer Review Information: Practical Approaches to Protect Confidentiality and Immunity Protections, California Association of Medical Staff Services 48th Annual Educational Forum; May 23-24, 2019 - Universal City, CA
• HLB 2019 Medical Staff Update Seminar; March 5, 2019 - Oakland; March 12, 2019 - Los Angeles
• Sharing Peer Review Information – Rules and Approaches, California Association of Medical Staff Services 47th Annual Educational Forum; San Francisco, CA, May 25-26, 2018
• Hooper, Lundy & Bookman Medical Staff Update 2017: Issues and Strategies for California Hospital Medical Staffs; Oakland, CA, May 2, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2017 
• Assessing Fitness for Continued Safe Practice for Late Career Practitioners: Legal and Practical Guidance; American Health Lawyers Association (co-presenter), December 2016
• Two Sides of the 1157 Coin, California Association of Medical Staff Services Annual Conference, Anaheim (co-presenter), May 2016
• Reporting Requirements, Responding to Subpoenas, and Sharing Peer Review Information, California Association of Medical Staff Services Annual Educational Forum, May 2015
• Highlights of the 2015 NPDB Guidebook, AHLA Medical Staff Credentialing and Peer Review Practice Group Open Membership Meeting (co-presenter), May 2015

News

Health Law Perspectives

Publications

California Appellate Decision Limits Hospital’s Options For Exclusive Contracts, HLB Healthlaw E-Alert, February 11, 2019

HHS Releases Revisions to National Practitioner Data Bank Guidebook, HLB Healthlaw E-Alert, November 7, 2018

California Senate Bill 798 and its Impact on Section 805.01 Reporting Requirements, May 2018 Special Medical Staff Edition, Health Law Perspectives

Late Career Practitioner Policies and the Role of Wellbeing Committees in Credentialing Procedures, May 2018 Special Medical Staff Edition, Health Law Perspectives

Medical Staff Bylaws and Hospital Contracts: Practical Considerations for Closed Departments, AHLA Connections Magazine (co-author), May 2017

Member Briefing: Highlights of the 2015 Databank Guidebook: Navigating the New NPDB (co-author), June 4, 2015