Topics in Neurology & Negotiating and
Mediating Healthcare Disputes

Gregory Firestone, PhD, is Affiliate Associate Professor at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Public Health and President of My Florida Mediator.  Dr. Firestone previously served on the faculty of the USF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine was Director of the University of South Florida Conflict Resolution Collaborative for twenty-two years.

Gregory  Firestone served on standing alternative dispute resolution committees of the Florida Supreme Court for more than two decades (including seven years as Vice Chair of the Court's Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules and Policy Committee) and as Official Observer (on behalf of the Association for Conflict Resolution and the Academy of Family Mediators) to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws Uniform Mediation Act Drafting Committee. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of Family Court Review and has received numerous awards including the Florida Supreme Court Excellence in Alternative Dispute Resolution Award and the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators Merit Award.

Dr. Firestone is a licensed psychologist (PY3033), mediator, mediation trainer and dispute resolution system consultant and has maintained a private mediation practice since 1984. Gregory Firestone is a practicing 1) Florida Supreme Court certified Appellate, Circuit Court, Dependency, and Family Mediator, 2) Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) Advanced Practitioner, and 3) Diplomate Member of the Florida Academy of Professional Mediator.

Dr. Firestone has lectured and published widely in the field of mediation including a recent article he co-authored on mandatory pre-suit medical malpractice mediation and is co-author of Mediation Works: Make it Work for You, a mediation orientation video produced by the Florida Supreme Court Dispute Resolution Center.

Dr. Edward M. Mendoza is an independent contractor and senior Physician Consultant of the Mendoza group. He has more than 29 years of experience in health care as a physician and consultant. He also has a Neurology private practice. Dr. Mendoza's consulting services include physician training, coder and case manager education, physician liaison training, clinical documentation quality reviews, clinical pathway development, and clinical cost management.

Other present consulting experience is as a part time Vice President of Medical Affairs (Medical Director) at a tertiary care facility. He also assists with DRG and CPT proper coding projects and educational programs for HIM, UM, and QA personnel.

Dr. Mendoza is board certified in Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Medical Management. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physician Executives and the American Academy of Neurology. He is a Certified Physician Executive. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a Bachelor of Science, received his Doctor of Medicine from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta and his Masters of Business Administration from the Executive Program of Georgia State University in Atlanta.

The Road to 10: The Small Physician Practice's Route to ICD-10, is a resource provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help physicians prepare for the arrival of ID-10. Dr. Mendoza has recently been honored by being selected by CMS to be a member of the Physician Champion Community of Practice. This Community of Practice was established by CMS in order to bring together physicians from across the country to share ICD-10 best practices and lessons learned with their peers. The physician champions are well-respected leaders in their local physician communities and volunteer their time to service as an ICD-10 resource and a mentor to their colleagues.

Dr. Mendoza is widely published in the medical literature including several books: International Healthcare, A Framework for Comparing National Health Care Systems, 3rd edition and Mastering the Reimbursement Process, 2nd Edition. He has been recognized in Modern Healthcare for his international expertise. He has spoken at numerous seminars, both nationally and internationally on clinical, international health care, and managed care topics. He has prepared and taught "Financing International Health Care Systems, Comparative International Health Care Systems, and Managed Care for Public Health" for the school of Public Health, Morehouse School of Medicine.