Nelhs Betancourt

 

Nelhs Betancourt, MD, MPH, DABT

Occupational/Internal Medicine/Occupational Toxicology

Licenses/Board Affiliations:

State of California License #G-71771 – In good standing.
Lapsed In Good Standing: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (#009246) – State of Georgia (#32697) DEA License Number BB2211338 – In good standing.
Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners, Certificate No. 318728
Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Certificate No. 121664, 1994, 2004, 2015
Diplomate of the American Board of Independent Medical Evaluators, ABIME 2000
Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, 2012
CA State Certified Qualified Medical Evaluator, Certificate No. 915187 Expert
Evaluator, Medical Board of California
Certified Medical Review Officer, Medical Review Officer Certifying Council- 96-01924, 2002 BLS Certified: 5/7/16
ACLS Certified: 6/20/16
UPIN: EO9378
NPI: 1780779371

Education:

• 1993 – 1998Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  Master of Preventive Health (M.P.H.) Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• 1985 – 1988Veterans Administration Hospital
  Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
  Internal Medicine Internship/Residency
• 1981 – 1985University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine
  Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
  M. D., Medicine
  Honors: Alpha Omega Alpha
  Class 1st Vice President, 1981-1982
• 1975 – 1977University of Puerto Rico
  Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
  M. S. Candidate, Biochemistry (all but Thesis completed)
• 1972 – 1975University of Puerto Rico
  Río Piedras, Puerto Rico
  B. S., Chemistry
  Honors: Magna Cum Laude
• 1968 – 1972University of Puerto Rico
  Río Piedras, Puerto Rico B.A., Art, English Literature Honors: Magna Cum Laude

Medical/Biomedical Experience:

• 2016-presentMedical Provider, Internal Medicine, Department of Corrections
  Norco, CA
• 1995-presentPresident, OccMed, Inc.
  Corporate entity that provides occupational medical consulting services, disability evaluations and clinical services in Internal Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Toxicology.
• 1995-presentPresident, Nellie Betancourt, MD, Inc.
  Provides consulting services in occupational medicine/internal medicine to contract facilites.
• 1999- 2004Medical Director, Risk Assessment and Management – SCRMA
  Upland, CA. Third Party Administrator.
• 1999- 2001Medical Director, US Healthworks- El Monte
  South El Monte, CA. Clinical occupational medical services.
• 1999-2002Medical Director and Principal, OccMed La Puente, Inc.
  La Puente, CA. Clinical occupational medical services. Hospital privileges at Citrus Valley Medical Center, Queen of the Valley, West Covina, CA.
• 1995- 1997Medical Director
  BusinessHealth Network
  Bakersfield, CA
• 1993 – 1995Associate Director of Industrial Medicine Friendly Hills HealthCare Network
  La Habra, California
• 1994- presentState Certified Qualified Medical Examiner (QME)
  Industrial Medical Council, Workers’ Compensation
  State designation for the medical-legal evaluation of impairment in the case of Workers’ Compensation Injuries or Diseases.
• 1992 – 1993Director of Industrial Medicine
  Hanover Network Industrial Clinic City of Industry, California
• 1991-2011Certified Medical Review Officer (MRO)
  Evaluation of laboratory positive drug-screening results. In charge of the preparation of seminars on drug abuse and worksite preventive measures.
• 1993 – 1998Staff physician and Internal Medicine Consultant
  Personal Medical Care Center
  Santa Ana, CA
• 1990 – 1991Staff Physician – Occupational Medicine
  Howell Industrial Clinic
  Atlanta, Georgia
  Howell Industrial Clinic is a multi-center occupational medicine facility providing treatment to approximately 300 injured workers/day. Originally employed as part-time physician in the Re-check area. Promoted to Staff Physician in the Acute Trauma section.
  Duties included initial evaluations of 20 to 30 acute trauma patients per day, Internal Medicine consultation services, pre-placement physicals, occupational injury follow-up and on-call hospital work. Minor surgery involving wounds on face, hands and skin also performed. Worked in close contact with two full-time orthopedic surgeons, a neurosurgeon and a general surgeon.
  Full staff privileges at Crawford W. Long Memorial Hospital – a unit of Emory University School of Medicine – with special emphasis on the evaluation of acute occupational injuries such as burns, electrical shock, chemical poisoning, internal medicine conditions and multiple body trauma. Member of the Hospital Medical Ethics Committee.
• 1990 – 1991Medical Peer Reviewer – Category I and II Reviews
  Georgia Medical Care Foundation
  (State Medicare Review Agency)
  Reviewer of Internal Medicine cases for the Agency, including Category II reviews, which can involve sanctions against reviewed physicians. Emphasis on the quality of medical care offered by Internal Medicine practitioners in urban and rural areas. Duties included review of Medicare charts for quality of medical care and rating of services provided by hospital facilities, doctors and nursing staff. Nomination of Medical Peer Reviewers is by invitation only.
• 1990Private Practice (Internal Medicine)
  Atlanta, Georgia
  Private Practice in association with Elpidio Feliciano, M.D. Full staff privileges at Crawford W. Long Memorial Hospital (Emory University). In charge of hospital admissions, disability evaluations, clinical Internal Medicine management of private patients admitted to CCU, ICU and General Ward facilities, with subsequent office follow-ups.
• 1988 – 1990Private Practice (Internal Medicine)
  Ashford Memorial Hospital
  San Juan, Puerto Rico
  Private Practice with additional hospital responsibilities, including: Consulting Physician to the Emergency Room for Internal Medicine services; Consulting Physician to the Operating Room for medical emergencies; Consulting Physician, Outpatient Surgery Department. Consultant for preoperative medical evaluation for orthopedics, general surgery and ophthalmology subspecialties.
  Private office providing general patient care and follow-up. Participated in a special AIDS program serving the community by providing pro bono medical care.
  Additional responsibilities as Head, Intensive Care Unit, Ashford Memorial Hospital with 300 beds and a 10 bed CCU/ICU unit. Member, Emergency Room Quality Control Committee.

Management, litigation and consulting experience:

• 2009-2013EK Health UR medical reviewer. EK Health UR medical reviewer. Second tier utilization review.EK Health UR medical reviewer. Second tier utilization review.
• 2009-presentExpert Witness, St. Croix, USVI. Provided examination, litigation
  support and testimony in bauxite and asbestos cases.
• 1998-2002Medical Consultant & Medical Case Management MedRight, Santa Monica, CA
  Toxicology medical-legal examination. Risk assessment in toxic chemical spills. Asbestos exposure, TCE, Sick Building Syndrome, and other occupationally related exposures.
• 1991-1992Senior Project Manager, Consulting Assignment
  Cooperative Technologies and Services International Irvine, California
  Management, design, implementation and preparation of project proposals for a company dedicated to the development of projects in the water conservation field.
• 1981 – 1990President/CEO, Aroma Coffee Break, Inc.
  San Juan, Puerto Rico
  Principal and equity shareholder of the largest and oldest office coffee service supplier on the Island. Responsibilities included: supervision of administrative and financial management, determination of coffee quality, management of personnel, supervision of the marketing function, and sales strategy formulation.
• 1977 – 1979President, Governor’s Coffee Quality Control Committee for International Coffee Markets
  Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  An appointed position by and for the Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Responsibilities included: qualitative and quantitative determination of coffee quality available from international markets for consumption within the Island of Puerto Rico. This position required international travel, knowledge of international world trade markets, and government trade policies.
• 1976 – 1978President, Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters Association
  Responsibilities included administrative management, Public Relations, government regulatory agency liaison for negotiation of rules and regulations affecting the industry.
• 1975 – 1981Executive Vice President & General Manager
  R. & O. Betancourt, Inc.
  San Juan, Puerto Rico
  Third largest coffee roasting plant on the Island; specializing in the institutional, as well as retail coffee market. Responsibilities included: personnel management and collective bargaining negotiations; general administrative and financial planning; coffee quality control; supervision of marketing functions, and government regulatory agency liaison.

Representative Recent Continuing Medical Education:

• 2016State of CA QME CME Courses, 12 credits
• 2016Society of Toxicology Convention CE 11 credits. Full
• Member. 2015

• 2012Mid-America Toxicology Course, Curtis D. Klaassen, Ph.D,
• Director. 2009ACOEM Conference in San Diego, CA
• 2008Advanced training in AMA Guides, 5th ed. Rating Guidelines.
• 2007Seminars in Chronic Pain Control
• 2006Bariatric Medicine Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada
• 2004American Board of Bariatric Medicine: New Practitioner Seminar
• 2004American Board of Bariatric Medicine: Western Regional Obesity Course
• 2004American Board of Internal Medicine CPD Program: Inpatient Internal Medicine
• 2004American Board of Internal Medicine CPD Program: General Internal Medicine
• 2004American Board of Internal Medicine CPD Program: Outpatient Internal Medicine
• 2004American Board of Internal Medicine CPD Program: Clinical Skills
• 2004American Board of Internal Medicine CPD Program: Cardiovascular Disease
• 2003Center for Occupational and Environmental Health: Workers Compensation Overview Update
• 2003Center for Occupational and Environmental Health: Molds: Health Effects/ Exposure Assessment
• 2002Harvard Medical School “Intensive Internal Medicine Review”, August 4-11, 2002, Boston, MA
• 2002ACMT, (American College of Medical Toxicology), 1st Annual Medical Toxicology Course, April
  11-13, Phoenix, AZ.

Seminars Presented:

Evaluating Obesity in the Workers’ Compensation Field, 54th Annual
Obesity and Associated Conditions Symposium, October 1, 2004, American society of Bariatric Physicians, Orlando, FLA
Toxicology Basics, W/C Forum, Riverside, June 2000
Asbestos: Medical-Legal Aspects: W/C Insurance Hearing Professionals, Buena Park, March 2000
Workers’ Compensation Basics for Health Care Professionals, Porterville Developmental Center, CA, April 1999
Repetitive Strain Injuries: the Ergonomics Standard: PIHRA, April, 1998 Preventing Injuries: a proactive approach. Optima HealthCare Network, Los Angeles, Feb 11, 1998.
Managed Care Trends in Occupational Medicine, California State University, Bakersfield, March, 1996
Managed Care Trends in Occupational Medicine (May 95, Newport Beach) The Medical Review Officer : Protecting Your Business (Nov. 96, Bakersfield)
Post-Offer Preplacement Physicals, California State University, March 1997 Preventive Seminars Series (Cholesterol, Alcohol, Drugs, How to talk to your Doctor in the Managed Care Setting, Breast Cancer, Paramount Farming, Inc. Wellness Program), 1995, 1996 & 1997
The Primary Treating Physician, general treatment protocols, November, 1995, State Compensation Insurance Fund

Memberships:

• Society of Toxicology
• American
• College of
• Medical
• Toxicology
• Alpha
• Omega
• Alpha
• American College of
• Occupational and Environmental
• Medicine American Society of Bariatric Physicians
• American College of Physicians

Other Personal Data:

Other Languages: Fluency in spoken, written, technical Spanish IBM, MacOS Computer Literate

References:

Personal and professional references available upon request.