The Hospital Pharmacist as an Expert Witness

Abstract

An expert witness provides knowledge from his or her field of specialization to participants in a trial, to help them clarify the issues presented to them. The hospital pharmacist is a natural choice as an expert witness in cases of alleged negligence within the hospital pharmacy. The hospital pharmacist who intends to become an expert witness should consider issues such as credentialing, obtaining employment, and developing a fee schedule. From the outset, the expert witness must keep accurate records, and he or she may be called upon to review documents, write opinions, render affidavits, and assist attorneys in questioning opposing experts. The expert witness may also create documents and may testify during a deposition. The culmination of the process is the trial itself, in which the expert must strive to present issues clearly and professionally, during both the direct examination and the cross-examination. The trial may be won, lost, or settled out of court — and this outcome can be influenced by the testimony rendered by the expert witness.