| Healthcare Forensics |
BlickenWolf is one of the very few healthcare forensics consulting firms in the United States and is one of the oldest in terms of experience and depth. Healthcare forensics should not be confused with forensic medicine, forensic accounting, or computer forensics. It is a unique and evolving investigative science involving healthcare systems and entities of all types designed to determine cause, cure and liability related to inappropriate billing, coding, operations, or patient service activity within any type of healthcare organization.
The BlickenWolf team’s exclusive combination of skills and experience in healthcare operations, accounting and billing, and law enforcement is unparalleled. Principal Kenneth Blickenstaff is a former director of a Medicaid fraud control unit, a former law enforcement officer assigned to healthcare fraud prosecution, and past president of both the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units and the Chicago Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Principal Carmen Wolf is a registered nurse and former manager of the Milwaukee Heart Institute and is an expert regarding the inner workings of a healthcare organization. Klinton Brown and Debra Slaughter have a combined 40 years of expertise in revenue cycle work and patient accounting.
To thoroughly investigate potential false claims and other inappropriate or improper activity within a healthcare organization’s system, BlickenWolf uses a specific methodology with well defined processes designed to achieve recognized goals. Depending on the situation, we typically request data and documents from the client, conduct in-depth interviews, and review systems on-site as needed.
Our goal is to scientifically investigate what went wrong, the period of time in which the error occurred, and to estimate risks associated with licensure, quantification of potential repayments, and disclosures to governmental agencies. In addition, our operational experience allows us to not only make recommendations to change processes and systems to correct the problem, but we are adept at working hand-in-hand with our clients to make the changes a reality. BlickenWolf is able to testify in court as an expert witness and assist a healthcare organization in responding and correcting the problem, build a proactive compliance program, and provide compliance training to employees.
In addition to healthcare forensic investigations, BlickenWolf offers services related to healthcare compliance programs, corporate integrity agreements, general litigation support, compliance training, and revenue cycle improvement.