Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP recently announced the hire of Tonya S. Gierke to the Health Care Law practice group. She joins the firm after serving more than a decade as a corporate compliance officer, risk manager, and privacy officer in a hospital setting. Her background also includes working in medical malpractice defense law and a nursing career that has spanned more than 26 years.
Her career background has given Gierke a unique perspective on the healthcare system. Gierke’s practice area covers healthcare law including Stark, Anti-kickback, physician and hospital contracting, compliance, and other regulatory matters. “I want to be more of an advocate for hospitals and healthcare providers and I think my transition to Friday, Eldredge & Clark gives me the best opportunity to do that,” Gierke said.
She has spoken at various conferences for groups including the Arkansas Nurses Association, Conway Regional Medical Center and Arkansas Emergency Medical Services on a variety of healthcare topics ranging from patient safety concerns to compliance issues.
Gierke is a member of the Health Care Compliance Association, American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, Arkansas Bar Association and the Tennessee Bar Association.
She received her RN diploma in 1990 and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Memphis State University in 1993. In addition, she received her juris doctorate from the University of Memphis in 2003.