Vident Partners provides vetted geriatric medicine expert witnesses for cases involving polypharmacy and medication errors, fall prevention failures, elder care standard of care, decisional capacity, and management of frailty and dementia nationwide. Request a referral today.
Find a Geriatric Medicine Expert →Overview
Geriatric medicine experts evaluate the medical care of older adults, including the management of multiple chronic conditions, medication regimens, and age-related decline 1. They are retained to assess whether providers appropriately addressed polypharmacy, fall risk, cognitive impairment, and capacity in elderly patients. The American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria -- updated in 2023 after review of more than 1,500 clinical studies -- identify medications that present unnecessary risks for patients 65 and older, providing a recognized polypharmacy standard used in litigation 2. Subspecialty certification is offered jointly by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Family Medicine following a 12-month ACGME-accredited fellowship 34. Their analysis often distinguishes preventable harm from the natural progression of disease. In litigation they address standard of care in nursing homes, hospitals, and outpatient settings serving geriatric populations.
More than 88% of older adults use at least one prescription medication monthly, and more than 66% take three or more prescriptions -- making polypharmacy a leading source of preventable harm in elderly patients.
Case Types
Polypharmacy and medication management errors
Fall prevention and injury claims
Decisional capacity and competency evaluations
Elder care standard of care disputes
Management of frailty, dementia, and chronic disease
Qualifications
Related Specialties
FAQ
A qualified geriatric medicine expert witness should hold subspecialty certification in Geriatric Medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine or the American Board of Family Medicine, maintain active practice caring for older adults, and carry current licensure. Prior deposition and trial testimony experience in elder care litigation is strongly preferred.
Geriatric medicine experts are retained for polypharmacy and medication management errors, fall prevention and injury claims, decisional capacity evaluations, and elder care standard of care disputes. They also address the management of frailty, dementia, and chronic disease across nursing home, hospital, and outpatient settings.
In general, medical expert fees are determined by the expert themselves, based on a variety of criteria. Among those criteria are clinical experience, forensic experience, academic qualifications such as Fellowships, clinical settings, and publications. Vident does have some influence over expert fees by comparing experts within a specialty, but ultimately it is a personal decision by the expert.
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Vident Partners connects attorneys with qualified geriatric medicine expert witnesses. Complimentary consultation, 24-hour turnaround, no obligation.
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