Experienced Emergency Medicine Expert Witness

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Board-Certified Emergency Medicine Physician | Hospital Executive | Medical–Legal Expert Dr. Dennis P. McKenna is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, Full Professor at a medical college, former President and Chief Executive Officer of a multi-hospital health system, and retired U.S. Navy Medical Corps Captain. He brings more than 25 years of frontline clinical experience and senior executive leadership to the review, analysis, and testimony of medical malpractice matters involving emergency care, hospital systems, and physician decision-making. His clinical practice has included serving in multiple community hospitals, operational deployments as a battalion surgeon with the US Marines, and over 20 years as an attending physician at an academic Level I trauma center. Dr. McKenna offers attorneys a rare combination of clinical practice, academic authority, hospital administrative expertise, and military operational leadership, providing immediate credibility in cases involving both individual clinicians and institutional processes of care. At the enterprise level, he oversaw risk management across a four-hospital academic health system and reviewed thousands of clinical cases in his roles as System Chief Medical Officer, President of the Faculty Practice, and Health System CEO. He has extensive hands-on experience with, and direct oversight of, hospital quality, safety, and regulatory programs, including: Medical staff credentialing and peer review Clinical governance and regulatory compliance EMTALA policies, patient transfers, and centralized transfer center operations Enterprise risk management and adverse event review In addition to his substantive medical and administrative expertise, Dr. McKenna is widely recognized for exceptional communication skills, a critical attribute in effective expert testimony. He has been featured in numerous professionally produced institutional videos addressing clinical, operational, and organizational topics, demonstrating a measured, professional demeanor and clear, effective communication style. He has received awards for excellence in communication and public engagement, reflecting his ability to explain complex medical and organizational issues clearly, accurately, and credibly to attorneys, judges, juries, and professional audiences. Representative examples are publicly available on the Albany Medical Center YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/AlbanyMedicalCenter Dr. McKenna has served as a medical expert in multiple depositions, panel discussions, and trials, and is known for being well-prepared, precise, and fair in his opinions. His testimony is grounded in current clinical standards, practical real-world experience, and a clear understanding of how care is delivered in both academic and community hospital settings. He is Responsive and Easily Accessible by phone or email within one day.