20. How does EMC avoid “creating” standards of care for a national medical specialty as a result of its review processes?

EMC is diligent in the testimony review processes of its review committees in that the review decisions related to expert testimony are specific to the clinical circumstances of the case under review. Evaluation criteria relating to general standards of care of a specialty can be utilized to the extent that they are referenced in the journals and proceedings of the pertinent medical specialty and in its educational materials. The Chairperson of the EMC Specialty Committee has the responsibility to insure that the reviews are consistent in this manner and is expected to monitor specialty committee opinions to assure consistency with the national standards of the specialty without creating a heretofore non-existent standard. The evidence-based analysis of a case is the goal of each review process. Unresolved standards of care issues of a specialty will remain unresolved via the EMC analytical process. EMC will cumulate and report the opinions of experts within a specialty as to their majority opinions given in prior testimony.