Surgery: Gynecological Surgery Expert Witnesses

Matthew E. Karlovsky, MD, FACS is double board certified in Urology as well as in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery, by the American Board of Urology, a distinction held by a select few of all urologists in the United States. He is fellowship trained in Neurourology & Prosthetics (Female Urology) and has been in private practice in Phoenix, AZ since 2005.

Dr. Karlovsky's expertise is in Injury to Male or Female Genitalia or Urinary Tract whether from surgery, a motor vehicle accident, device implantation, or other occurrence which may result in significant morbidity and possible long term difficulty with urination or sexual function. Traumatic injury to nerves that affect urinary and sexual function, assessment of mechanism of injury, and assessment of function and form of the genitourinary tract are critical to establishing causation, damages, and any potential lifelong debility.

Litigation Support - Dr. Karlovsky has reviewed medical malpractice for plaintiff, defense, and national insurance carriers (GEICO, MetLife). He provides timely review of records, reports, case research, testimony at deposition or trial, and IMEs. A thorough case review involves, but is not limited to, assessing the diagnosis and surgical indication, surgeon training, implant or surgery selection, patient risk factors, unforeseen issues, expectations, definitions of a successful surgery, post operative care and complication management, accident reports, radiology images if available, medical and billing records, Interrogatories, depositions and reports. He opines on cases involving:

Pelvic Mesh Sexual / Genital Injury Personal Injury / Motor Vehicle Accident

Criminal Cases Foley Catheter Implant / Device Complications

Dr. Karlovsky has reviewed cases for attorneys and clients in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Missouri, Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Indiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut.

Seminars & Speaking Engagements - Urology & Mesh Medical Consulting PLLC and Dr. Karlovsky provide seminars on assisting with malpractice and litigation avoidance. Education and better understanding of perioperative and surgical planning benefits patients and physicians. Their standard seminar reviews common Negligence and Standard of Care concepts, Informed Consent, Informed Refusal, Disclosures, and Documentation Pitfalls. This seminar may benefit: residency training programs; private physician groups; physician societies; insurance malpractice carriers who may wish to lower risk or potential claims among their insured physicians.

Forensic MED Group’s team of exceptionally skilled and highly respected practitioners provide a full range of medical-legal services. Our experts provide direct evaluation services that result in clearly-stated opinions supported by substantial medical-legal evidence as well as relevant standards of practice and medical research.

Our clinical experts work alongside experienced and accomplished administrative personnel. Together, we possess a thorough understanding of all legal and necessary procedures ensuring accuracy and efficiency in evaluating and reporting.

FMG practitioners conduct detailed and meticulous medical-legal evaluations to provide clear, comprehensive, quality and timely services to all parties.

We offer expert evaluations medical, psychiatric, psychological and comorbid conditions.

The following is a list of the services we provide:

• Expert Witness Testimony
• Agreed and Qualified Medical Evaluations (AME/QME)
• Independent Medical Examinations (IME)
• Independent Case Review
• Fitness for Duty Evaluations
• Disability Evaluations

John J. Dougherty, MD, FACOG, MBA, is Board Certified in Gynecology and Obstetrics. He specializes in High Risk Obstetrics and Minimally Invasive Surgery.

Dr. Dougherty completed his residency training in general OB / GYN at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ. Monmouth provided expansive experience in general and in high risk ob/gyn. Dr. Dougherty also received a very high volume of pelvic surgery training.

From residency, Dr. Dougherty joined 2 private group practices, one in Virginia, followed by another in Pennsylvania, and practiced as a general OB / GYN. Within each group, I focused mainly on high risk obstetrics and minimally invasive surgery.

After 12 years in private practice, Dr. Dougherty transitioned to academic medicine and became heavily involved with healthcare administration activities. He obtained his MBA from Lehigh University and took the lead on a variety of healthcare related projects. As associate residency program director of an OB/GYN residency, he is able to maintain his clinical skills while broadening his healthcare administrative experiences.

Dr. Dougherty has been a Fellow of the American Congress of OB/GYN since 2003. He serves as a representative of the Professional Practice Evaluation Committee and is Patient Quality and Safety Committee Chair.

Litigation Support - John J. Dougherty provides expert witness services to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant. His services include written reports, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

• High Risk Obstetrics
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Pelvic Surgery
• Gynecologic Cancer
• Routine Obstetrics

Gary Ciment, PhD, is a Professor in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Sciences University, and has taught Human Anatomy and Human Neuroanatomy to medical students, residents and physicians for 25 years.

As an expert witness, he has worked with lawyers to offer clinical insights and to develop strategies for their cases, based on anatomical and neurological principles. Ignorance of these principles is often the root cause of medical and surgical malpractice. As a professional educator with numerous teaching awards, Dr. Ciment is also an expert at communicating complex issues in an easily understood fashion. His services are available to counsel representing both plaintiff and defendant.

Areas of Neurological and Surgical Specialization:

• Anatomy of the Upper and Lower Limb
• Anatomy of the Thorax and Abdomen
• Anatomy of the Pelvis and Perineum (Groin)
• Neuroanatomy of the Brain, Spinal Cord, Peripheral Nerves
• Peripheral Nerve Damage
• Central Nervous System Damage

Over the years, Dr. Ciment has served as a reviewer of NIH and NSF grants, as well as various private research organizations. He has served on the editorial board of several international journals, and has published extensively in the area of neurobiology.

Elbridge F. Bills, MD, FACOG, is a board certified OB/GYN with over 20 years of clinical experience in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Dr. Bills is a graduate of Emory Medical School and received a Master's degree in Metabolic & Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida.

With a full-time practice caring for and managing low and high risk pregnancies and deliveries, Dr. Bills also has an active gynecological practice including hysteroscopic, laparoscopic, and robotic procedures. He is licensed in both Georgia and Florida.

Dr. Bills is Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a member of the American Association of Gynecological Laparoscopists, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Litigation Support - Dr. Bills offers expert witness services to attorneys representing plaintiff and defense. He is available for cases involving medical malpractice and other OB-GYN related injuries. His services include medical record review, thorough reporting, depositions, and trial testimony as needed.

Areas of Expertise:

Normal & High Risk Pregnancies Hysteroscopic Gynecology Laparoscopic Gynecology Reconstructive and Robotic Surgery

Gynecological Ultrasound Integrative Medicine Hormone Therapy Testosterone Therapy

Neshi Bakshi, MD, PE, FACOG, CHCQM, has been Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology for over 30 years. Dr. Bakshi is a Diplomat of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians (ABQAURP) with a Sub-Specialty Certification in Managed Care Healthcare Quality and Management (CHCQM) in 1995. She has been in private Obstetric and Gynecology practice since 1974 with a good crimson report.

Litigation Support - Dr. Bakshi has worked with attorneys for plaintiff and insurers on a flat fee basis with a cost effective initial retainer. She is available to review cases for CMA and IME with successful outcomes.

Dr. Bakshi was a consultant for medical insurance companies for medical decisions, concurrent and retrospective case review, level II and II appeals, and utilization reviews, peer reviews in accordance with the healthcare quality act, individual reviews for quality severity level and corrective action.