As demand for aesthetic services continues to rise, medical spas face growing scrutiny over patient safety, clinical oversight and regulatory compliance. In this episode of "Counsel That Cares," host Morgan Ribeiro speaks with healthcare attorneys Brett Elliott and Kim Rai, as well as New U Women's Clinic & Aesthetics Founder and CEO Rachel Fidino, ARNP, DNP, about the rapid expansion of the medical spa industry and the legal and operational challenges accompanying that growth. Bringing both legal and clinical perspectives, the speakers examine how scope-of-practice laws, supervision requirements and enforcement trends are shaping the industry while highlighting why strong compliance programs, active clinical leadership and accountability remain essential for managing risk, protecting patients and supporting sustainable growth.

Healthcare organizations can no longer rely on paperwork alone to prove compliance: Regulators increasingly expect concrete proof that governance structures operate in practice as described in the abstract. In this episode of "Counsel That Cares," healthcare attorney Shalyn Watkins and Camino Strategy Group CEO Phoebe Gutierrez examine how California's Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) doctrine is shaping healthcare transactions, digital health platforms and investor-backed healthcare organizations. Using the recent Carbon Health settlement, ongoing litigation and broader enforcement trends as examples, they explain why regulators are looking beyond contract language to scrutinize operational decision-making, physician independence and management company control, while offering practical guidance for organizations seeking to structure and expand healthcare businesses in California's increasingly active regulatory environment.

On Capitol Hill, the conversation around healthcare transparency is heating up. Since the Trump Administration took office in early 2025, there has been a push to combat healthcare fraud, waste and abuse, while providing patients, employers, payers, regulators and policymakers greater visibility into areas that have historically lacked transparency.

In this episode of "Counsel That Cares," Senior Public Affairs Advisor Jordan Brossi, Congressional Investigations Team Co-Leader Christopher Armstrong and Healthcare Transactions attorney John Saran discuss the following topics:

• transparency in healthcare ownership structures, particularly those involving private equity firms and corporate investors
• Congress' efforts to ensure that nonprofit hospitals are meeting the requirements for tax-exempt status
• the anticipated increase in congressional investigations targeting healthcare organizations