Pharmacy Expert Witness

Expert Witness No.2286

Areas of Expertise

Medical and pharmaceutical writing and editing
Drug information
Pharmacy practice and operations
Risk assessment and management
Clinical pharmacy services
Pharmacy law
Managed care pharmacy services
Long-term care pharmacy services
Pharmaceutical care in correctional facilities
Pharmaceutical care in industrial clinics

Education

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
1968-1971
Pre-pharmacy curriculum
Major: Biology
Minor: Geography

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
1971-1975
Awarded Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) degree

Licensure

California Registered Pharmacist

Professional Experience

December 1988 to Present
Seal Beach, California
Principal/Owner
Consultancy specializing in medical and pharmaceutical writing and editing, pharmacy operations and risk management, managed care pharmacy practice, and forensic pharmacy services

Medical and Pharmaceutical Writing and Editing

Computerized drug information searches
Freelance writing to AMA Manual of Style specifications
Audience-appropriate drug information and disease state monographs
Newsletters
Scientific, medical, and pharmaceutical communications
Creating and editing medical and pharmaceutical journal submissions
Magazine articles (background research and/or interview)
Reviews of conference proceedings

Pharmacy Operations and Risk Management

Policy and procedure assistance
Drug distribution systems
Accreditation and regulatory agency compliance
Drug utilization evaluation studies
Hospital pharmacy operations
Clinical pharmacy services
Continuous quality improvement programs
Risk assessment and management
Professional in-service education
Consultation regarding pharmaceutical care in correctional facilities and industrial clinics

Managed Care Pharmacy Practice

Shared and full-risk pharmacy capitation agreements
Provider relations
Pharmaceutical manufacturer relations
Disease management guidelines
Drug formularies
Educational programs for capitated healthcare providers

Forensic Pharmacy Services

“Standards of care” for pharmacy practice
Affidavits of merit
Research projects
Expert testimony in matters related to drug information, pharmacy malpractice, and pharmacy-related medical and hospital malpractice
Administrative pharmacy law

August 2004 to Present
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice

Areas of expertise for teaching purposes:

Site-specific pharmacy practice guidelines
Community pharmacies
Hospitals
Managed care organizations
Skilled nursing facilities
Pharmacy law
Community pharmacy law
Institutional pharmacy law
Business practices pertaining to pharmacies
Risk management

September 1992 to January 2006
Specialized Clinical Services, Inc.

Irvine, California

Clinical Information Specialist/Medical Writer

Responsible for researching, producing, and editing drug information monographs and newsletters for clients of this national pharmaceutical care consultancy.

December 1993 to March 1994
Children's Homecare
Los Angeles, California
Pharmacist-In-Charge (Interim)

Responsible for the creation and initial management of the pharmacy contained in this free-standing licensed homecare agency owned by Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

April 1987 to December 1992
Charter Hospital of Long Beach
Long Beach, California

Director of Pharmacy Services

Responsible for all aspects of pharmacy services for this 227-bed, free-standing psychiatric hospital specializing in acute and chronic mental illnesses of adults, adolescents, and children including chemical dependency.

March 1990 to May 1992
DTEC, Inc., Memphis, Tennessee
Regional Vice President-Western Region

Responsible for overseeing pharmacies in the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah that were contracted to this nationwide hospital pharmacy management company specializing in psychiatric and rehabilitation hospitals.
Specific responsibilities included...

Designing new pharmacies and overseeing their licensure
Supervising all contracted pharmacists and ancillary personnel
Contract negotiations
Developing pharmacy policies and procedures for each facility
Insuring compliance with all State and Federal regulations governing pharmacy practice
Insuring compliance with JCAHO standards for pharmacies
Overseeing inventory procurement and control
Quality assurance and continuous quality improvement

April 1987 to June 1989
St. Mary Medical Center, Long Beach, California
Pharmacist-Per Diem

June 1985 to June 1989
Robert F. Kennedy Medical Center, Hawthorne,
California
Pharmacist-Relief

August 1975 to April 1987
St. Mary Medical Center, Long Beach, California
Clinical Pharmacist

Participated in all aspects of hospital pharmacy practice at this 577-bed teaching hospital. Primary area of practice was critical care and acute cardiac care (6 years) where I also served on medical staff committees related to these areas. Other areas of practice included internal medicine, cardiology, pulmonology, infectious diseases, pediatrics, neurology, orthopedics, and general surgery. Wrote and edited a newsletter on therapeutics and served on the hospital's speakers bureau. Clinical Instructor of Pharmacy and Assistant Clinical Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy while on staff. Participated in two Phase III drug trials of cardiovascular agents.

References

Available upon request