Physical Therapist & Occupational Therapist Expert Testimony
D+WC can identify and assign the appropriate expert for your case(s).
Physical & occupational therapy consultation is all we do, so we are highly experienced in the selection and preparation of subject matter experts in order to facilitate a clear, accurate and evidence-based outcome. These experts are credentialed based upon a number of factors, but most importantly, their understanding of clinical practice, curricula, research and evidenced-based practice standards within their given specialty. D+WC goes well beyond simply selecting master clinicians. We provide experts who understand the perspectives of multiple healthcare stakeholders, can synthesize and interpret complex data, provide clarity through verbal and written articulation, possess integrity, a command of their field and are exemplars of professionalism.
D+WC identifies potential conflicts of interest on a case-by-case basis. Since most clinicians do not possess expert testimony experience, we provide training & education regarding how to professionally present one’s opinions within reasonable medical certainty. We do not attempt to influence, alter or modify an expert’s professional opinion. This is why they are the experts! This is why we present them to our clients.
Analysis of Opponents Expert Reports
Attorneys, claims adjusters, loss prevention officers, risk managers and employee benefit officers all possess unique knowledge and expertise in the review of many documents related to claims administration and disability disposition. However, only true peers can review an opposing expert’s report with credibility and a firm foundational knowledge of medical literature, curricula, community practice standards and evidenced-based patient assessment and treatment.
Fraud & Abuse Investigations
Medical Records Review
On-Site Audits
CARE AWARE™ Program
SWAT™ Analysis of Cases
Expert Testimony Preparation & Participation
D+WC is available to assist physical and occupational therapists, attorneys (plaintiff or defense) in the development of questions, queries and interrogatories that relate to the key issues involved in a given case. Questions of medical necessity, standards of care, the relationship between an impairment and disability and worker-worksite functional matching. This is functional versus vocational methodology, different from the analysis of an expert vocational counselor. Physical and occupational therapists are the functional experts when it comes to human movement in the context of injury or illness.
Technology Assessment
In a comprehensive well designed disability model many components can be described by three areas of focus:
- Functionality of the patient/injured worker
- Environmental demands of the patient/client including; school, work, sports, avocational and activities of daily living or ADLs.
- Assistive technology that serves to bridge a person with functional disabilities and their environment. These can include; orthopedic devices, pain management interventions, mobility devices, ADL instruments, job accommodations (ADA), workstation & tool re-design, transport vehicles, computer adaptations and a nearly inexhaustible array of emerging technologies, which is escalating due to the aging of 79 million baby boomers.
D+WC can assess assistive technologies from an evidenced-based standpoint. Investigation and experimental interventions of are keen interest to our clients who require assistance in assuring their insureds that the technology applied by providers is safe, efficacious, cost-effective and appropriate to the individual’s condition.
Medical Literature Research
Peters and Waterman in their seminal business book entitled; In Search of Excellence stressed the importance of “stick to the knitting” or do what you do best. D+WC does Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation and Disability Management best. Our experts intimately know the clinical literature and in fact, many of them actually created the literature that is taught in Physical Therapy and Occupational programs nationwide. D+WC believes in the dictum; “In God we trust, all others bring evidence.”
Every D+WC report strives to educate all health care stakeholders with the best evidence available bringing objectivity to a highly subjective claims and disability management system(s). Experience in over 200,000 peer reviews over 33 years has equipped D+WC to manage virtually any physical rehabilitation and disability case.
Research and Drafting of Special Reports for Clients
D+WC is in the business of providing KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and WISDOM about Physical Rehabilitation and Disability Prevention-Management-Review or Forensics. We are not an intermediate like so many companies who simply serve as a pass through connecting payers with providers. We are and have been providers, we are the keepers of the WISDOM. We are not a managed care company that just aggregates providers into accountable units, aggressively negotiates “discounts” for the promise of patient volume (which rarely happens), and claims to have the “Best in Class” providers; the same providers who are signed on with multiple managed networks. When a client comes to D+WC they are coming to the direct source of creative solutions for complex and costly problems.
We offer our collective knowledge to clients who desire a comprehensive analysis of issues impacting disability costs. D+WC is the McKinsey of physical therapy, rehabilitation and disability management. D+WC’s founder, wrote the book on the subject; Physical Rehabilitation’s Role in Disability Management, 2004, St. Louis:Elsevier Publishing.
David W. Clifton has established an extensive national network of experts in every facet of disability prevention, management and forensics.
Attorney Privileged Work Products
One of D+WC’s corporate beliefs is that if we (as a company) have a problem; we want to learn of it before anyone else so that we can fix it. This belief is shared by some of our clients who have requested our consultative services under the protections afforded through “attorney-privileged work product.” Winston Churchill once stated; “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing, after they’ve done all of the wrong ones.” D+WC strives to get it right the first time and we gladly engage with clients who take responsibility and accountability to do the right thing, the first time!
SWAT™ Analysis of Cases
Every disability case has its strengths and weaknesses. D+WC experts are impartial, independent professionals and available to both sides of the legal aisle; plaintiff & defense attorneys. D+WC experts also provide the court itself at the local, state and federal levels with subject matter expertise.
D+WC experts in Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Disability Management can be invaluable to attorneys before accepting, litigating or settling a case. A SWAT™ analysis is a methodical review of the merits of a case in terms of strengths, weakness, assets and threats. The legal profession’s mantra is that “preparation, preparation, preparation” leads to successful outcomes. Yet, so few attorneys take advantage of the accessibility of content experts until after a case grows in complexity, cost, duration when psychosocial and not, medical issues are more prognostic of outcomes. A SWAT™ analysis is an important component of the preparation phase especially, in contingent fee arrangements wherein a firm’s human and capital expenses quickly escalate.
SWAT™ analysis is conducted on an individual case.
CARE AWARE™
Some D+WC clients have requested organizational-wide analyses under “attorney privileged work project” protection. For example, David W. Clifton, D+WC’s founder designed a SWAT™ program for a large publicly-traded long-term-care facility owner/operator in order to identify potential areas of fraud & abuse under Medicare clinical documentation & billing regulations. In this case, standard bearers were identified within a national network of hundreds of skilled nursing facilities. The SWAT™ enabled this publicly-traded long term care provider to “identify their risk exposures, Medicare billing liabilities as well as identify those “Centers of Excellence”, which served as beacons for standards of treatment and billing practices.
In today’s healthcare market same-store growth is relatively rare when compared to growth by acquisition. A SWAT™ analysis is an independent review that should be a centerpiece of any due diligence process when a company is in an acquisition mode. In today’s health care market same-store growth is relatively rare when compared to growth by acquisition.