Have you ever been victimized by poor medical care? Remember, medical malpractice can include instances when a healthcare provider performs a needless procedure.
We bring this up because recently WBAL-TV reported that lawyers involved in a medical malpractice case in Towson against the St. Joseph Medical Center and Dr. Mark Midei say that 21 plaintiffs have settled their cases.
According to the station, Midei was accused of needlessly implanting heart stints in patients in an attempt to profit. A federal investigation reportedly found that between 2007 and 2009, Midei profited by performing an “abnormally high number of procedures.”
Midei allegedly put stints in people with artery blockages of 20-30 percent, while telling them that their arteries were 80-95 percent blocked. Most healthcare organizations said that patients should only get stints if they have more than a 70 percent blockage.
Terms of the recent settlements have not been made public. It should be noted that earlier this year, St. Joseph’s agreed to pay $22 million to settle a different lawsuit accusing it of violating several federal laws by making illegal payments to a cardiology group called MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates in return for patient referrals.
Speaking to an Attorney About Medical Malpractice in the Form of a Needless Procedure
Needlessly performing surgery or implanting a patient with a device could be considered a form of medical malpractice. This is because there are risks involved with any procedure. Remember, malpractice is a broad claim that encompasses a variety of medical fields.
Other forms of medical malpractice could include:
- Birth injuries, such as those resulting from negligence
- Misdiagnosis
- The failure to conduct the appropriate medical tests
- The failure to diagnose a condition
- Medication and pharmaceutical errors
- Surgical errors
If you have suffered due to the recklessness of a doctor, it may be in your best interest to speak to an attorney, as you may be entitled to damages.
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Koonz McKenney Johnson & DePaolis LLP