Psychiatrist QME Expert Witness

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Siyan Clinical Corporation ( Siyan Clinical Research), Santa Rosa, CA
CEO and Medical Director (2012 – Present)
Direct patient care responsibilities include psychiatric evaluations and treatment
Supervising Physician for multiple Nurse Practitioners
QME Evaluations: Conduct Qualified Medical Evaluations for workers’ compensation by providing psychiatric evaluation, psychological testing, and detailed report pertaining to injured worker’s disability status, causation, apportionment and treatment recommendations
Psychiatric consultant for approx. 15 primary care practices in Sonoma County, CA
Conduct scientific research in which pharmacological studies are conducted in an outpatient environment. Principal Investigator for an investigator initiated clinical trial for adults with panic disorder (See more research under Research Experience)
Provide Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for patients suffering from opioid use disorder

Sonoma County Mental Health, Santa Rosa, CA
General Psychiatrist (2005 – Present)
On-call Psychiatrist for Psychiatric Emergency Services
Inpatient Consultant for Sutter Hospital Medical Center

Napa State Hospital, Napa, CA
CEO and Medical Director (2011 – 2012)
Audit and Compliance Monitoring
Supervisor of staff psychiatrists
Review of treatment plans
Direct patient care

Napa State Hospital, Napa, CA
Acting Medical Director (2009 – 2011)
Reported to hospital CEO and as a member of Executive Policy Team, supervised four department chiefs (psychiatry, psychology, medical ancillary service and forensics) and the Chief of Staff.
Led medical staff of 220 physicians. Responsible for medical services budget of $4 million. Implemented Department of Health’s policies and procedures. Worked on treatment enhancement and compliance with Treatment Enhancement Plan, which Napa State Hospital was obliged to implement under the federal Civil Rights of Institutionalized Patients Act. Improved hospital’s compliance from 16 partial sections in psychiatry to substantial compliance with 10 sections and only 6 partial sections. The Department of Medicine section achieved substantial compliance on all sections.
Initiated and led performance improvement projects involving EKG ordering and recognition and treatment of metabolic syndrome. Accomplished 95% compliance outcome related to laboratory results and treatment initiatives of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia in individuals with metabolic syndrome. The goals of 90% compliance in ordering and completion of EKG, less than 3 days for reporting of completed non-urgent ELGs. And refusal rates of less than 10% for individual ELGs were scheduled to be in place by March 2011.
Recruited contract and staff psychiatrists. Improved psychiatry vacancy rate in direct patient care by 25%
Initiated training for new psychiatrist hires. Developed training modules and trained physicians and surgeons on adverse drug reactions. This training initiative is a major factor in maintenance and ongoing compliance with treatment enhancement plan.
Oversaw compliance with Joint Commission requirements on provision of medical care, medical staff, patient rights, and laboratory. There were no major Reports for Improvement (RFIs) from the survey.
Contract with Sonoma Valley Hospital resulted in net savings of $2 million of a two-year period, largely because of the addition of utilization review activities that did not previously exist.

Napa State Hospital, Napa, CA
General Psychiatrist (2005 – 2007)
Worked as an inpatient staff psychiatrist in forensic unit. Primary emphasis on diagnosis and assessment of acute psychiatric illness using specific treatment modalities such as pharmacotherapy and group therapy.

Kaiser Outpatient Clinic, Santa Rosa, CA
General Psychiatrist (2008 – 2009)
Duties included psychiatric evaluations and treatment. Collaborated with primary care physicians on treatment plans.

Lake County Mental Health, Clear Lake, CA
General Psychiatrist (2004 – 2005)
Duties included evaluation and treatment of adult, geriatric, and adolescent patients, conservatorship evaluations, supportive psychotherapy, medication management (including substance abuse treatment), and supervision of staff.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Residency Training in Psychiatry (2000 – 2004) University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
• Research Associate (1999 – 2000)
• George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC
• House Officer in General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics Medicine (1996 – 1998)
• C.L. Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
• Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (1996) Pramukhswami Medical College, Karamsad, Gujarat, India
• Leadership Development (since 2010) Working with Executive Coach
• U.S. Good Clinical Practice Online Training (Completed 2014)

LICENSURE AND CERTIFICATION

Medical License, State of California (October 2003) DEA License, State of California (November 2003)
United States Medical Licensing Exam, Part I-III passed (completed April 2003) Medical License for Residency, State of Illinois (July 2000 – June 2004)

Medical Practice License of India (June 1995 – Present)
Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support Certifications (July 2000 – Present)
Qualified Medical Evaluator (QME) for California Workers Compensation System (July 2012 – Current)

PROFESSIONAL/SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATIONS

• American College of Physician Executives American Psychiatric Association California Psychiatric Association
• Indian Medical Association Marin County Bar Association Sonoma County Bar Association

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

• Principal Investigator: Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study to Assess the
• Efficacy and Safety of ITI-007 Monotherapy in the Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive Episodes Associated With Bipolar I or Bipolar II Disorder
• Principal Investigator: Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of ITI-007 Adjunctive to Lithium or Valproate in the Treatment of Patients With Major Depressive
• Episodes Associated With Bipolar I or Bipolar II Disorder
• Principal Investigator: Current Clinical Trial: A 10-Week, Open-Label, Flexible Dose Adaptive Study Evaluating the
• Efficacy of Vortioxetine in Subjects with Panic Disorder. Initiated research study, protocol writing and submissions, conducted Informed Consent Process, Medical History, DSM-IV, MINI, C-SSRS, MOSES, Concomitant Medication, and
• Adverse Event Assessments. Study drug dispensing, titration, and accountability assessments. Involved in recruitment activities and provides training support and oversight to other study personnel.
• Research Assistant: Participated in research activity with Dr. David Marazek and Dr. Karen Weihs information such as involvement making lay protocol summary, conduct literature search, website development, videotaping sessions, and other usual and customary tasks of research assistant. Participated in studies involving drugs such as Paroxetine Divalproex Sodium.
• Research Assistant: Participated in research study with Philip Janicak as a second year and fourth year resident on
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation vs. ECT trial. The tasks involved clinical assessment, screening, monitoring, and treatment of study participants, tracking patient participation, and other coordination functions of clinical trials.
• Research Assistant: Worked with Dr. Daniel Liberman on preparation for his research on “Internet Interactive Social Skill Training and Intervention for Alcohol Abuse College Students.”

PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS

Available on Full CV

ACTIVITIES AND AWARDS

• Chair of Education Committee, The University of Illinois at Chicago (July 2002 – June 2003)
• Chair, Discussion Group, “Impact of Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing Strategies on Resident Education, Research,
• Clinical Practice and Patient Care,” The University of Illinois at Chicago (October 2003 – 2004)
• Class Representative of Psychiatry Residents, The University of Illinois at Chicago (July 2000 – July 2001)