Recently in Medical Category

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that prostate  cancer screening with prostate specific antigen showed no obvious prostate cancer mortality benefit in a study of 76,000 men over 10 to 13 years.  Prostate cancer expert Gerald L. Andriole, Chief, Division of Urologic Surgery and Director, Men's Health Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis says “The message is that routine mass screening is not the way to go.”

Read more: http://urology.wustl.edu/Physicians.

Health care expert Abir Sen will be speaking at the Atlantic Information Services, Inc. webinar entitled The Rise of Private Exchanges: Implications for Insurers, Employers and the Health Care Consumer. 

Mr. Sen is the founder and CEO of Bloom Health. Prior to founding Bloom Health, Mr. Sen was the co-founder and president of RedBrick Health. Under his leadership, RedBrick Health launched the industry-leading Health Earnings system, created innovative product and distribution partnerships, and achieved health improvement results that far outstripped any of RedBrick Health’s competitors.

More information: http://aishealth.com/marketplace/c1m42_121311.

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services was in the news this week saying that its caseloads have improved since a federal lawsuit was filed in 2008.  However, Judge Frizzell says the state's own expert witness "concluded DHS does not accurately measure caseloads and that its caseloads exceed professionally accepted standards."  Oklahoma ranked among the five worst states for reported child abuse and neglect deaths last year.

Read more: http://dockets.justia.com.

Addiction expert witness Robert Waldman testfied on Thursday that Michael Jackson "was probably addicted to opioids."  Waldman's assessment was based on medical records and other evidence presented.  Medical records were subpoenaed from dermatologist Arnold Klein who was treating Jackson several times a week before his death.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com.

Cardiology expert Dr. Patricia Cole testified for the defense Thursday in the medical malpractice case against Dr. Anthony E. Malench of Maryville, IL.  Malench was found not guilty on Friday in the 2009  death of Barbara Jean Pratt.

The Madison County Circuit Court case claimed that Malench failed to diagnose and treat her properly which resulted in her death of a heart attack on Jan. 27, 2009.

Medical expert Dr. Jon Tucker has been hired by the Pittsburgh City Council in the lawsuit involving Councilman Ricky Burgess' father.  William H. Burgess, 87, has sued the city and a police officer regarding a traffic accident in 2007.

Councilman Burgess says the police officer was involved in a chase when he collided with William H. Burgess’ car.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11281/1180599-53.stm#ixzz1aLU47c8j

 

Medical expert Dr. Harvey Gross opined in Jefferson County District Court (TX) in a suit alleging Dr. Lee Haak "misplaced the venous catheter" during the plaintiff's stay at Memorial Herman Baptist Beaumont Hospital.  Bridget Fontenot says the misplaced catheter contributed to her pneumonia.

The Southeast Texas Record reports: An expert report and a certificate of written discovery were recently filed in a medical malpractice complaint against several medical defendants.  As previously reported, Wyoming Newman filed suit April 11 in Jefferson County District Court against Dr. Erwin Lo, Golden Triangle Neurocare and Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, alleging she was left a quadriplegic following spinal surgery.

As required by Texas Civil law, Newman filed a medical expert report, authored by nurse Rita Restrepo, on July 5 to substantiate her claim, court records show.

Read more: http://www.setexasrecord.com.

Florida legislators recently passed several laws to protect healthcare facilities against patient lawsuits. The biggest, HB479, restricts the use of expert witnesses in malpractice cases. Sent to the governor for signature last week, the bill requires out-of-state expert witnesses to obtain a certificate from the state health department, and allows the state Board of Medicine to discipline expert witnesses whose testimony is fraudulent, deceptive or misleading.

Legislators also added provisions into three Medicaid bills--SB1972 and HBs 7107 and 7109--to limit pain-and-suffering damages against nursing homes to $250,000, and to cap doctor liability at $300,000 unless the provider acted maliciously.

The key witness in the Christopher Coleman murder trial in Illinois is a forensic pathologist known for his high-profile cases.  Dr. Michael M. Baden served as the lead pathologist or as an expert witness in cases, including testifying at the O.J. Simpson trial, investigating the death of Sid Vicious, investigating the remains of Czar Nicholas II and family members, and serving as the chairman of the Forensic Pathology Panel of the House Select Committee on Assassinations that reinvestigated the John F. Kennedy assassination.