Healthcare (General) Expert Witnesses: 27

Paul M. Adler, DO, FACEP, MBA, Medical Director for the Ventura County, California, Department of Corrections, has worked in Correctional / Jail / Prison Medicine & COVID-19 Preparation & Response. He has overseen the care of inmates in Jails in California and New York, as well as Prison inmates who have been transferred to county facilities to serve their terms for years in county jails in California. He has also overseen Correctional health car in locked units in Hospitals . 

Dr. Adler is the President-Elect of The American Correctional Health Services Association of California / Nevada, which represents all clinicians and administrators in Jails/Prisons in California and Nevada. He previously oversaw a County Hospital, County Nursing Home and ran a County Health Department and oversaw Correctional healthcare for the Westchester, New York Jail.

Litigation Support - Dr. Adler has defended Jails and Prisons in Southern California, Idaho, Texas, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, etc. He is currently the expert consultant to the California Prison System for Covid litigation and the medical consultant to the judicial consent decree overseeing care in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. He also served as the expert consultant to the ACLU for Covid in the Illinois Department of Corrections

Dr. Adler still works as a full-time practicing physician and has helped attorneys and insurance companies in Emergency Medicine, Nursing Home Medicine, Public Health and Hospital Administration since 1985. He has been involved in Plaintiff litigation in many states including against Rikers Island, NY and Cook County Jail and is available to review and consult on clinical Correctional/Jail/Prison cases for attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense.

Services:

• COVID-19 Preparation & Response
• Medical Oversight of Federal Consent Decrees
• Screen Cases for Merit
• Review, Analyze and interpret Medical Records
• Provide Basic or Comprehensive Written Reports
• Interpret Standards of Care, Deviation and Adherences as they Relate to Correctional Health Care
• Develop Chronological Time Lines
• Policy and Procedure Development

Tyla A. DiMaria has a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), with over 25 years of experience in Serious Injuries and Catastrophic Illness within various clinical settings, management, work comp, and home care. Ms. DiMaria is a Registered Nurse certified in Case Management as well as Life Care Planning. She has owned her own homecare company since 2008.

As Principal of Best Care Life Solutions, based in Carlsbad, California, Ms. DiMaria reviews medical records, performs past billing analysis, consults and collaborates with physicians and other health professionals to formulate future care needs and Life Care Plans for patients with catastrophic injuries and chronic illness.

Ms. DiMaria provides nationwide services to both plaintiffs and defense attorneys. Expert Witness Services include Independent Medical Evaluations, Depositions, and In-Court Testimonies.

Areas of Expertise:

Life Care Plans Life Care Plan Rebuttals

Standard of Care Reports Cost Comparisons

The Life Care Plan is crucial to individuals with injuries or chronic conditions requiring complex long-term healthcare intervention and management. It is an integrative plan for individuals with disabilities or chronic health conditions that includes items and services required, along with specific costs that addresses current and future needs. The Life Care Plan includes estimates for the current and future healthcare needs of individuals along with the associated costs.

Duane M. Bryant MD, MS, is a seasoned Ophthalmologist certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Bryant has over 30 years of clinical and surgical experience with Cataracts, Glaucoma, Laser Surgery For Glaucoma, Laser Surgery for Diabetic Retinopathy, Laser Surgery for Central Vein Occlusion and Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion, and Intravitreal Avastin Injections.

Regularly participating in Continuing Medical Education courses, Dr. Bryant's expertise is cutting edge. In 2014 alone, he attended the Retinal Physician Symposium, the Kiawah Eye Meeting, the Diabetic Retinopathy and Vein Occlusion, and Current Concepts in Ophthalmology. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Bryant has been involved in expert witness, peer chart review, and IME work for over 10 years. His services are available to counsel representing both Plaintiff and Defense.

Consultative / Forensic Experience:

Cataract Surgery Glaucoma Laser Surgery Ocular Trauma

Diabetic Retinopathy (Medical and Laser Treatment) Vein Occlusion (Medical and Laser Treatment) Life Care Planning for cases of Visual Impairment See Case Descriptions

Yolanda Anderson, RN, BSN, CEN, CLNC is a Registered Nurse and has been working in the Emergency Department for more than 25 years. A Certified Legal Nurse Consultant with a detail-oriented approach, Ms. Anderson is knowledgeable about all aspects of Hospital Care and Standards of Care for Physicians, Nurses and Ancillary Personnel.

Ms. Anderson's background experience includes work in the Emergency Department of Los Angeles County, USC Medical Center, a level I Trauma Center and in the Emergency Department at Saint Anthony Hospital Central in Denver, Colorado, a level I Trauma Center where she helped initiate the Hyperbaric Medicine program. For 15 years, she worked as a staff RN, Charge RN and Assistant Nurse Manager in the Emergency Department at Littleton Adventist Hospital - Littleton, Colorado, a level II Trauma Center. There, she helped with the expansion and reconstruction of the current Emergency Department facility.

Ms. Anderson has been retained as an Expert 27 times. Her litigation support services include chart review for merit, chronologies, medical care research, Independent Medical Assessments, and more. Ms. Anderson's services are available to attorneys for both Plaintiff and Defense.

Areas of Expertise:

Emergency Department Care Inpatient Hospital Care Trauma, Cardiac, Neurological Emergency Adult, Pediatric, and Infant Care

Triage & Documentation Nursing Home Care Electronic Medical Records Worker's Compensation

View Yolanda Anderson's Consulting Profile.

Alan R. Smith, MD, RPh, FAAFP, is Board Certified as a Family Medicine Physician (American Board of Family Medicine) plus Board Certified by the American Board of Physicians and Surgeons. Along with a full-time, full-spectrum Family Medicine Practice, Dr. Smith is the Medical Director of Millard Care and Rehabilitation, a position he has held for over 30 years. 

Dr. Smith also serves the State of Utah as Chairman of the Utah Physician Licensing Board (2018 - Currently), and is a Fellow of the Federation of State Medical Boards. 

Litigation Support - Dr. Smith is retained as an Expert Witness with a focus on Family Medicine and Nursing Home Medical Malpractice. He has over 20 years of expert witness experience with approximately 100 cases reviewed, 25 depositions, and 10 court / arbitration testimonies. 

"I feel a responsibility to hold my fellow physicians, as well as myself, to the standard of care. I likewise feel a responsibility to stand and defend the truth when care of a physician is in question." - Alan R. Smith, MD

Areas of Expertise:

Obstetrics Surgical Obstetrics Inpatient and Outpatient Care Home Health Skilled Nursing Care Extended Nursing Care

Long Term Care / Hospice Care Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, and EGD Minor Surgery - Vasectomy Major Surgery - Hernia Repair, Endometrial Ablation, Tonsillectomy, Tympanostomy Tubes Emergency Department Care

Dennis E. Coleman, JD, MPH, has over 40 years of experience in Hospital and Healthcare Management. In 1990, he formed his own hospital administration / healthcare management services consulting firm provide healthcare management services to various healthcare provider clients in a variety of areas, including strategic planning, business development, operations management, sales and marketing, policy & procedure development, and human resources management.

Mr. Coleman's academic background includes a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern University in Los Angeles and a Masters in Public Health degree with a Hospital Administration major and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, both from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Litigation Support - As a hospital administration expert witness consultant, Mr. Coleman is an advocate for applying community standards which are relevant, based upon the time frame, subject matter and administrative practice(s) appropriate to each case. He has consulted and provided case review, expert witness services, and/or strategic litigation preparation services in more than 200 legal matters. He accepts cases on behalf of Plaintiffs or Defendants.

Mr. Coleman is willing to serve as either a work product consultant or a designated expert based upon the particular strategic litigation needs of each case.

Cases Include:

• Medical Staff Credentialing & Clinical Privileging / ELAM
• Negligent Credentialing, Negligent Supervision, Negligent Retention
• Hospital / Physician Relations-MEJIA Ostensible Agency Issues
• Administrative Community Standards
• Medical Staff Bylaws, Rules & Regulations
• Provider-Based Physician Contracting Negotiations & Contract Administration
• Administrative Policies & Procedures
• Hospital Joint Commission Accreditation, Licensing & Regulatory Compliance Issues
• Wrongful Termination / Constructive Discharge / Whistleblower Issues
• Patient rights; Informed Consent
• Patient Safety; Environment of Care
• Governance; Corporate Negligence

View Dennis Coleman's Consulting Profile.

Donald L. Leach, II, is a Jail / Corrections Management expert with over 30 years of experience. He has 20 years of consulting experience on jail management issues nationally, focusing on Risk Management for Jails and Jail Operational Methodology. 

Mr. Leach has extensive supervisory experience, having overseen up to 402 employees (indirectly). He also supervised internal affairs investigations, experienced in interviewing, hiring, training, scheduling, motivating, evaluating, and dismissing personnel. He is experienced in administering and managing a large detention facility, developing and administering programs, budgeting, contract development and monitoring, conducting research, monitoring compliance with policies and procedures, community relations, public speaking, controlling costs, problem-solving, and preparing reports.

Litigation Support - Mr. Leach has served as an expert witness for 5 years, in both State and Federal court. His services are available to counsel for both Plaintiff and Defense and include case review, testimony, and consultation for jail and prison issues.

Areas of Expertise:

Jail Management Use of Force In-custody Death Security / Operations Medical and Mental Health Services

Classification Contract Management for Privatized Services Management Information Systems Strip Search Gang and STG

View Donald Leach's Consulting Profile.

Dr. Danny Allen, Consultant Adult Psychiatrist is fully trained and experienced in report writing and regularly appears as an Expert Witness in Family Proceedings. Dr. Allen is an Approved Clinician, approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 and a Cardiff University accredited Expert Witness and a member of the Expert Witness Institute, the Academy of Experts and the Society of Expert Witnesses. He holds consultancies with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Workplace Health (Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust) The Maidenhead Clinic, Phoenix Mental Health Services/Cardinal Clinic and BMI The Shelburne Hospital.

Dr. Allen appears in court regularly in public law cases. He has undertaken a number of high profile cases for Customs and Excise and the Crown Prosecution Service, including alleged rapes and murders. Dr. Allen provides services for lawyers, social services and businesses. His reports are also available to Employment & Housing Tribunals and Employers and Licensing Authorities.

Type of Reports Prepared:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Depression

Drug & Alcohol

Specific Phobia

Sexual Offense

Adjustment Disorder

Family Proceedings

Personal Injury

Criminal Reports

Head Injury

Capacity

I am a board-certified emergency medicine physician. I have been called upon to express opinions in the areas of medical malpractice, personal injury, negligence, standard of care, and causation. I am involved in both plaintiff and defense cases.

My qualifications include: 

• Award-winning emergency physician in active practice with 30 years clinical experience
• Associate Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at University of California San Francisco School of Medicine (volunteer)
• Current VP of company that staffs 500 emergency departments, overseeing more than 5000 ER providers in risk management and quality assurance issues 
• Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians (FACEP) 
• Past President of the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians 
• Medical Director of California Highway Patrol 
• Extensive publication and speaking experience in the area of emergency medicine

Lois Hawkins, RN, CLCP of Hawkins Forensic Consulting, Inc, specializes in Medical and Vocational Damage Assessment in personal injury and catastrophic injury cases throughout the United States. For over 10 years, Ms. Hawkins has been evaluating cases involving children and adults with complex, catastrophic injuries, as well as less serious injuries.

Areas of Expertise:

• Catastrophic Medical Case Management - Traumatic Brain Injury, Acquired Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, Amputation, Soft Tissue Injury, Chronic Pain, Burns, Cerebral Palsy & Developmental Delay, Chronic Respiratory Conditions, Visual & Hearing Impaired
• Life Care Planning - Comprehensive Record Review and supportive documentation / Case Analysis, Case Summary Chronology, Clinical Interview and History with Patient, Medical-Legal Research, Assessment of Future Medical / Rehabilitation Needs
• Legal Nurse Consulting

Professional Memberships and Associations
International Academy of Life Care Planners (IALCP) - Present
International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals (IARP) - Present
American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants (AALNC) - Past
American Operating Room Nurse (AORN ) - Past

Dr. Christopher A. Lowery, DHSc, CLCP, is an international Clinical Health & Rehabilitation Consultant with a special interest in global health initiatives. He is board-certified as a life care planner practitioner specializing in health promotion and prevention through the use of holistic, evidence-based approaches using a biopsychosocial health consultation model for all patients/clients that suffer from associated disabilities and health impairments.

Since 2002, Dr. Lowery passion has been to educate, empower, and provide hope to individuals with catastrophic health impairments. He focuses on educating and counseling patients/clients on improving their quality of life, addressing social, cultural, and behavioral barriers across diverse populations impacted by poor healthcare conditions. 

He currently holds the following degrees: Bachelor of Science in rehabilitation studies from University of North Texas (07), Master of Arts in human and health administration services from University of Oklahoma (10), Post-Specialty Certificate in life care planning from Capital University Law School (12), Post-Master's Certificate in rehabilitation counseling from University of Arkansas at Little Rock (14), and Doctor of Health Science in global health from Nova Southeastern University (16).

Dr. Lowery holds a board certification in life care planning as a Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP) from the International Commission on Health Care Certification (ICHCC), which is accredited and recognized by the American National Standards Institute National Accreditation Board (ANAB). This prestigious certification attests to his qualifications and competence in healthcare delivery systems. ANAB’s accreditation ensures that the certification process meets rigorous international standards, confirming his aptitude and expertise for his role as a practitioner.

**If you have a case needing Dr. Lowery's expertise, please feel free to call his office for a free consultation.

Note: Please see below our website for more areas of expertise. 

Areas of Expertise:

Vocational Evaluations Employment Support/Job Placement Life Care Planning Personal Injury Medical Malpractice / Medical Negligence Counseling Independent Medical Examination Review

Family Law / Domestic Relations Worker’s Compensation Veteran’s Benefits Labor and Employment Discrimination Jones Act / Longshoreman Cases Matrimonial / Divorce Matters Health & Rehabilitation Education Expert Testimony on a variety of health-related topics

View Christopher Lowery's Consulting Profile.

HLN offers Peer-reviewed methodologies and Appellate court proven testimony by experienced professionals who have provided consulting services and conducted audits and investigations for hundreds of hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers nationwide. HLN's experts have provided expert testimony in administrative and regulatory proceedings, as well as in state and federal courts for civil and criminal cases, for plaintiffs and defendants.

HLN provides experts in: medical billing, reasonableness of charges, reasonable value of medical services, Medicare & Medicaid reimbursement and compliance, clinical documentation, medical record coding, economic damages, insurance disputes, lost profits and false claims. HLN's founder co-authored two editions of the AMA's best selling Mastering the Reimbursement Process book. 

HLN's Consultants include:

Certified Public Accountants (CPA)  Certified Coding Specialists (CCS and CCS-P) Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF)  Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC)  Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)  Certified Healthcare Chart Auditor (CHCA)  Certified Professional Coder (CPC and CPC-H)  Licensed Insurance Agents  RN, MD, DO and DCs Financial Analysts Statisticians

Expert Witness: Retained in Washington, D.C., and over 25 states as an expert in hospital administration who could render opinion after assessing medical records, hospital policies and procedures, medical staff bylaws and regulations, JCAHO standards, depositions, etc. Served as Expert Witness for Plaintiff and Defense. 

Consultant: Has assisted hospitals and health systems with accelerating their performance improvement efforts. Speaks, writes and consults on ethical issues in health care. 

Background Highlights:

• Consultant, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the health system.
• Executive Director of two academic medical centers: Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, Stanford University Hospital and Clinics at Stanford.
• Past chairman of the national advisory board for the University of Chicago’s Center for Clinical Medical Ethics.
• An author of over 175 publications, he has written articles for USA Today, Health Management Quarterly, Trustee, Health Progress, the Journal of Health Administration Education, Frontiers of Health Services Management, Bioethics Forum, Modern Healthcare, the Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, Stanford Medicine, and Healthcare Executive among others.
• Co-editor of Management Mistakes in Healthcare: Identification, Correction, and Prevention, published by Cambridge University Press in 2005.
• Co-editor of Managing Ethically: An Executive's Guide, published by Health Administration Press in 2001, and a second edition, Managing Healthcare Ethically: An Executive's Guide was published in 2010.
• Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a past member of its Leadership Advisory Committee, and a consultant on health care management ethics since 1994.
• Served as a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Center for Biomedical Ethics.
• Recipient of American Hospital Association's Award of Honor in 2009 and an Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award in 2012.
• Faculty appointments held at Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, Emory, the University of California, and Seton Hall University.
• Bachelor of Science, Master of Public Health, and Doctor of Public Health degrees are from the University of California, Berkeley.

Jacqueline N. Bloink, MBA, RHIA, CHC, CFE, CPC, CPC-I, CPCO, CMRS has over 20 years of experience on the business side of Healthcare that includes: Medical Coding / Reimbursement (Reasonable Value of Billed Amounts), Revenue Cycle Managment, Healthcare Compliance and Healthcare Fraud.

Background - Ms. Bloink served as the Director of Compliance for the largest provider group in Arizona. For several years she worked as a Medical Coding Manager, Reimbursement Manager, and Compliance Liaison for a University Physician Group - Department of Medicine, and as Corporate Responsibility Auditor for a large 3 Hospital network. Ms. Bloink is a Professor and Instructor in the area of Medical Coding, Billing, Health Information Management, and Healthcare Fraud. She also served as a Compliance Officer for a Telehealth organization and works with healthcare providers of multispeciality departments assisting them to better understand medical coding and billing guidelines.  She is a national, state and local speaker (author) for such groups as ACFE, HCCA, AAPC, AMBA, American College of Physicians, CLM, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, CA AHIMA, and others. As a co-designer and presenter with CMS (MLN) and OIG in 2014 webinar - ACA Provider Compliance Program - she assisted in reaching thousands of healthcare providers learn more about healthcare compliance.  In 2015, she was honored to be the recipient of the Arizona ACFE Sentinel Award “Truth Over Self” that acknowledged her assistance to the Office of Inspector General / Department of Justice with the largest Healthcare Fraud Case (FCA) in Arizona history. 

Litigation Support - Jacqueline N. Bloink is a knowledgeable expert witness with Healthcare Fraud litigation support history and proven experience with evaluating case allegations and calculating Usual, Reasonable and Customary charges (reasonable value of billed amounts.) She offers services to expert witness firms, attorneys, health plans, providers, forensic consulting firms, governments, and IROs. 

Areas of Expertise:

Healthcare Compliance Healthcare Management Medical Coding Medical Billing Medical Reimbursement

Medical Fraud Prevention and Identification False Claims Act Reverse False Claims Regulatory Health Information Admin. (RHIA) Medical Documentation Usual, Reasonable and Customary (UCR) Reasonable Billed Amount Values

View Jacqueline N. Bloink's Consulting Profile.

mdi Consultants, Inc - Experts in FDA regulatory affairs, quality assurance and ISO 9000 certification. With 6 years in the FDA and 26 years consulting to the industry, mdi Consultants, Inc. has been an invited Speaker worldwide on FDA regulations and policies and has obtained FDA expert status as third party auditors.

OUR APPROACH

We utilize the following three part approach to providing high quality services to our clients:

Unsurpassed consultant experience – we identify and recruit only top quality consultants with deep industry knowledge to provide the most complete and insightful advice to our clients

Up-to-date systems and processes – we have highly defined systems (e.g. manuals, training programs, technical files) and processes (e.g. audit methodologies, 510(k) submission, validations) that are constantly refined and kept current across the ever changing regulatory environment

Involvement in regulation development – we stay ahead of policies by participating in the development of regulation (e.g. HACCP, Scientific Advisor to U.S. Congressmen)