William O. Brant, MD, FACS, FECSM, presented “Medicolegal for the Urologist – Protection and Expert Witnesses” during the 44th Annual Ralph E. Hopkins Urology Seminar on February 5, 2025, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
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How to cite: Brant, William O. “Medicolegal for the Urologist – Protection and Expert Witnesses.” February 5, 2025. Accessed Mar 2025. https://grandroundsinurology.com/medicolegal-for-the-urologist-protection-and-expert-witnesses/
Medicolegal for the Urologist – Protection and Expert Witnesses – Summary
William O. Brant, MD, FACS, FECSM, explores the complexities of medical malpractice, outlining key legal concepts, common allegations, and their impact on physicians. In this 19-minute presentation, Dr. Brant clarifies that malpractice is not simply a bad outcome but involves a breach of professional duty. He highlights the significant variation in malpractice laws across states and explains the adversarial legal system.
Dr. Brant details how lawsuits often arise from perceived poor communication and lack of trust rather than medical errors alone. Physicians in lawsuits face professional and emotional strain, leading some to adopt defensive medicine, restrict their practice, or leave medicine altogether. The financial burden of malpractice litigation extends beyond trial verdicts, with settlements and legal fees contributing to the high cost of healthcare.
The presentation also delves into the role of expert witnesses, emphasizing the importance of unbiased testimony and adherence to ethical guidelines. Dr. Brant gives practical advice for physicians involved in depositions, including strategies to avoid manipulation during cross-examination. He provides insights into how physicians can protect themselves, maintain professionalism in legal settings, and mitigate the psychological toll of litigation.
About The 44th Annual Ralph E. Hopkins Urology Seminar:
The Ralph E. Hopkins Urology Seminar is a multi-day meeting focused on training urologists in the latest in assessing, diagnosing, and treating urologic conditions in the clinical setting. Updates are provided on urologic cancers, stone disease, urologic reconstruction, female urology, infertility, sexual function, emerging surgical techniques, and general urology. The 44th iteration of the meeting took place from February 5th to February 8th, 2025, in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
For further educational activities from this conference, visit our collection page.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William O. Brant, MD, FACS, FECSM, is a urologist at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, San Diego. He completed his residencies in Surgery and Urology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and then pursued a fellowship in Sexual Medicine and Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).
After completing his fellowship, Dr. Brant was in a private practice in Vail, Colorado, and had a teaching appointment with the University of Colorado prior to moving to the University of Utah, where he served as an Associate Professor of Surgery/Urology until 2017. His practice is dedicated to Men’s Health, with a particular focus on sexual and erectile medicine, penile reconstructive surgery, and prosthetic surgery. He has been very involved in education, training, and research related to prosthetic surgery, particularly as it relates to prostate cancer survivors, and he performs over 100 prosthetic surgeries annually.
Dr. Brant is a consultant and reviewer for several medical journals, including the Journal of Urology and the Journal of Sexual Medicine. He is a member of multiple medical organizations, including the American Urological Association, the Sexual Medicine Society, the Trauma and Urologic Reconstruction Network of Surgeons (TURNS), and the Society of Urologic Prosthetic Surgeons. He has authored over 50 scholarly works, including chapters in 6 urology textbooks. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the European Committee on Sexual Medicine.
