FOR DEFENSE COUNSEL & MED-MAL CARRIERS
Forensic Surgical Outcomes Analysis for Defense Counsel
We analyze the defendant surgeon's own EMR data and produce a risk-adjusted outcomes report that holds up under Daubert. Built primarily for defense — because skilled surgeons taking complex cases shouldn't lose to claims-data star ratings.
Request Outcomes Analysis Email Our Legal TeamRISK-ADJUSTED · EMR-VALIDATED · HIPAA-COMPLIANT WITHIN HITRUST · DAUBERT-READY METHODOLOGY
THE PROBLEM
Why current outcomes evidence fails in surgical malpractice cases.
Star ratings don't survive cross-examination.
Healthgrades, Vitals, and CMS Care Compare don't risk-adjust for case complexity, comorbidity burden, or procedure mix. Cross-examination dismantles arguments built on those numbers within minutes.
Paid experts read slides, not data.
Most expert opinions in surgical malpractice rely on chart review and impression — not on the surgeon's actual longitudinal outcomes. Daubert challenges land hard against impression-based testimony.
There's no off-the-shelf outcomes benchmark for the surgeon at issue.
What you actually need: a defensible, risk-adjusted analysis of this specific surgeon's outcomes — not industry averages, not Healthgrades, not unmoored expert opinion. That analysis didn't exist as a productized service. Until now.
WHAT SURGIQUALITY ACTUALLY PROVIDES
What we are. What we are not.
WHAT WE ARE
- A forensic outcomes analysis service
- Risk-adjusted methodology (SurgiGPT™) drawn from published surgical-quality literature
- A flat-fee, per-case engagement model
- A producer of written reports defensible under Daubert
- Primarily engaged by defense counsel and med-mal carriers; plaintiff cases case-by-case where conflict-check is clean
WHAT WE ARE NOT
- An expert witness referral service
- A panel of paid testifying surgeons
- A "fact witness" service for unsupported opinions
- Compensated as a percentage of case outcomes
- Aligned with the substantive position of any one case — the methodology serves the data, regardless of which side commissions the report
"Most of our work defends skilled surgeons whose complex case-mix is being mischaracterized by claims-data scoring. Our role is to take the surgeon's actual EMR data — the same data the hospital, the credentialing committee, and the surgeon themselves rely on — and produce a risk-adjusted analysis that holds up under expert scrutiny. The data means what it means."
— Sanjay Prasad, MD FACS · Founder, SurgiQuality
METHODOLOGY & DAUBERT DEFENSIBILITY
Methodology designed to survive Daubert scrutiny.
Our analysis methodology — SurgiGPT™ — is the same engine that scores surgeons on the SurgiConnect marketplace for use by self-insured employers and health plans.
- Peer-reviewable — methodology white paper published and updated annually
- Reproducible — independent analysts working from the same data reach the same conclusions
- Quantified for error rate — published confidence intervals, sensitivity analyses, and known-limitation disclosures
- Generally accepted — built on risk-adjustment frameworks from CMS, AHRQ, and surgical-quality literature
- Specific to surgical practice — not adapted from a general healthcare model
Methodology white paper available on request.
ABOUT SURGIQUALITY
Built by surgeons. Trusted with the data.
SurgiQuality was founded by Sanjay Prasad, MD, FACS — a board-certified neurotologist and cranial-base surgeon with 33 years of clinical experience and author of Resetting Healthcare. Dr. Prasad has served as an expert witness in a limited capacity over his career and remains available for methodology testimony tied to SurgiQuality reports.
The company's primary product, SurgiConnect, is the surgical marketplace that scores surgeons on validated, risk-adjusted outcomes drawn directly from EMR data. Our forensic outcomes analysis service for attorneys is built on the same SurgiGPT™ infrastructure — applied to the specific surgeon at issue in your case.
PRICING
Flat-fee pricing. No retainer. No percentage of case.
| Service | Standard Fee | Expedited |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon Outcomes Analysis Report 15-25 pp written report, 1-3 yrs data, full risk adjustment |
$15,000 | +50% |
| Comparative Cohort Benchmarking Add-on to Outcomes Report |
$7,500 | +50% |
| Comparative Cohort Benchmarking Standalone |
$10,000 | +50% |
| Custom Quality & Outcomes Measure Per measure |
$5,000 | +50% |
| Methodology Testimony Dr. Prasad — limited availability |
$750/hour | n/a |
| Daubert Methodology Documentation Deeper methodology appendix add-on |
$3,500 | n/a |
All fees are flat. We do not bill hourly for analysis, we do not bill a percentage of case value, and we do not take a referral fee from any third party.
Turnaround time depends on the surgeon's EMR system. Our standard 15-30 business day turnaround assumes a SurgiQuality-supported EMR. Cases involving legacy systems, custom EMRs, or systems for which we have not yet built an integration require additional time for extraction tooling — typically 2-6 weeks. We confirm turnaround during the initial 15-min scoping call before any engagement letter is signed.
FAQ
Common questions.
Do you provide expert witnesses?
No, with one limited exception: Dr. Prasad is available in a limited capacity to testify on the methodology underlying our reports and the findings within them. He does not testify on standard of care for procedures outside his specialty (neurotology and cranial-base surgery), and he does not serve on a referral panel of testifying experts. If your case requires standard-of-care testimony, you'll need to engage that expert separately. Our reports support whatever expert testimony you bring.
Does it matter whether I'm plaintiff or defense?
We work primarily with defense counsel and med-mal carriers. That's where most of our engagements come from, and it aligns with our broader mission of giving skilled surgeons objective evidence of their actual outcomes. We do accept plaintiff engagements on a case-by-case basis where our conflict-check is clean and the methodology serves the data on either side. The methodology and report format are the same regardless of which side commissions the analysis — the data means what it means.
How do you get the surgeon's EMR data?
Three paths. (1) Defense cases — the surgeon's hospital or practice typically authorizes data extraction under a Business Associate Agreement. (2) Plaintiff cases — EMR records are produced through litigation discovery, and you forward them to us under appropriate protective order. (3) If the surgeon at issue is an active SurgiConnect customer, the engagement is declined under our conflict-check procedure.
Will your report survive Daubert?
That's its purpose. Methodology is peer-reviewable, reproducible, error-rate-quantified, and built on published risk-adjustment literature. Methodology white paper available on request. We've designed the work product specifically to withstand Daubert scrutiny.
How long does it take?
15-30 business days for a Surgeon Outcomes Analysis Report assuming the surgeon's EMR is one we currently support. Expedited turnaround is available at +50% fee, with the actual expedited timeline depending on the EMR system (a clean Epic extract is much faster than a legacy or custom system). If the surgeon uses an EMR we have not yet integrated with, we'll quote the additional time required to build extraction tooling — typically 2-6 weeks — before issuing an engagement letter. We confirm timing during the initial 15-min scoping call.
Which EMR systems do you currently support?
We confirm currently-supported systems case by case during the initial scoping call. Where the surgeon's EMR is not yet integrated with our analysis pipeline, we quote the time and fee to build that integration as part of the engagement scope.
Are you compensated as a percentage of the case?
No. Flat fee. We're not on contingency, we're not paid by case outcome, and we don't share fees with referring attorneys.
What's your conflict-of-interest policy?
We screen every inquiry against active SurgiConnect customer relationships at the time of inquiry. If the surgeon at issue is a paying SurgiConnect customer, we decline the engagement — regardless of which side approached us. Full conflict-check procedure available on request.
Can I license your benchmarking data without a specific case?
Not at this time. Our work is per-case forensic analysis. Licensed bulk data products are on the roadmap but not yet available.
Do you work outside the United States?
Currently US-only. International work requires data-access frameworks we have not yet built.
REQUEST AN ENGAGEMENT
Tell us about the case.
We run a conflict-check screen and follow up within 24 business hours. A confirmation will be sent to your email.
Defending a surgeon whose case-mix is being mischaracterized by claims data?
Tell us the specialty, jurisdiction, the clinical question, and the data-access path. We'll set a 15-minute call within 24 hours to confirm scope.
Request Outcomes Analysis → Email Our Legal TeamPrefer to talk first? Reply to your auto-confirmation email after submitting the intake form and we'll set up a 15-minute scoping call.