News
Carlo Reyes, MD JD, Delivers ePOLST Registry Presentation
On March 22, 2018, Carlo Reyes, MD, JD gave the presentation “ePOLST Registry for Physicians and Patients” at the Dying in the Americas 2018 Conference in Lake Las Vegas, Nevada. Dr. Reyes is a leader/innovator concerning the important topic of compassionate end-of-life decision making. The Medcordance ePOLST Registry and Advance Care Planning platform was designed by Dr. Reyes and is certified by Medicare as a means for physicians to report quality metrics under Medicare’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System. Medcordance is a first of its kind electronic record and registry for Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) which provides Healthcare Providers with real-time access to, and the ability to implement, joint physician/patient end of life decision-making documentation. The ePOLST Registry is a game changer for circumstances when, as is often the case, a new patient is unable to communicate their intensity of care preferences. Dr. Reyes is Of Counsel to SCHAEFFER COTA ROSEN LLP and maintains an active practice as an Emergency Room Physician.”
Effective April 2018 Andrew K. Whitman has joined SCHAEFFER COTA ROSEN LLP, in an Of Counsel capacity, with extensive trial, appellate and mediation experience. For the past 18 years, Mr. Whitman’s practice has focused on the representation of healthcare providers in patient care litigation (primarily defending health care facilities but also physicians, individual healthcare professionals, and healthcare entity owners and managers). Prior to joining SCHAEFFER COTA ROSEN LLP, Mr. Whitman was a founding partner in one of the Central Coast’s largest healthcare litigation defense firms. Mr. Whitman has extensive experience defending the unique liability issues presented to the healthcare provider business entity (including claims of “corporate profits over patient care”) and defending healthcare providers against liability from elder and dependent adult abuse claims under Welfare and Institutions Code section 15657. Mr. Whitman looks forward to representing healthcare providers with a high level of skill, ethics, aggression, and attention to detail that SCHAEFFER COTA ROSEN LLP clients have come to expect.
Defense verdict in February 2018. James Schaeffer obtained a defense verdict following a 6 week court trial in Los Angeles County in which the plaintiff claimed that the defendants failed to adequately treat an ankle fracture that led to a below knee amputation and permanent disability. The plaintiff claimed that the defendants did not adequately treat his Type II diabetes that led to his ankle fracture becoming septic.
Defense verdict in April 2017. James Schaeffer obtained a defense verdict in Ventura County after a two week medical malpractice trial in which a pain management specialist was sued for negligently implanting a spinal cord stimulator and lack of informed consent. The jury rejected claims that the doctor’s alleged negligence led to the SCS causing an electrocution or electrical jolt which caused permanent impairment, that the physician was negligent in failing to take action to remove the SCS, and that the physician negligently failed to warn the plaintiff that an electrocution/electrical jolt was a potential complication of the procedure.
Defense verdict in February 2017. James Schaeffer obtained a defense verdict in Kern County after a two week medical malpractice trial. Mr. Schaeffer’s client, a cardiologist, performed a coronary angiogram and left heart catheterization during which a complication occurred, resulting in the patient suffering a heart attack and permanent injury. The jury rejected a claim that alleged negligence by the cardiologist caused the injuries.
Defense verdict in January 2017. James Schaeffer obtained a defense verdict in Ventura County after a one week medical malpractice trial in which the jury rejected a claim that a surgeon was negligent in performing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulting in a bowel injury.
Defense verdict in December 2016. James Schaeffer obtained a defense verdict in Los Angeles County after a two week medical malpractice trial. The jury rejected plaintiff’s claims that the physician’s allegedly negligent management of her husband’s pacemaker lead to infection and death.