St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, MD, is expected to soon be hit with more than 100 malpractice claims from patients who allegedly received unnecessary heart stents from Mark G. Midei, MD, a physician formerly practicing at the hospital, according to a Baltimore Sun report.
Attorney Jay D. Miller said in the report he soon expects to file malpractice claims on behalf of his 104 clients, who will each file separately.
Two other lawsuits related to the stents were filed in January, and one is seeking class action status, according to the report.
The claims will be filed in Maryland's Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office, which arbitrates malpractice cases, according to the report.
Nearly 600 patients were notified by the hospital in late 2009 that they may have received unnecessary stents from Dr. Midei. On average, physicians who perform cardiac catheterization will place a stent 30 percent of the time. Dr. Midei performed stents at twice that rate.
State officials began looking into the practices of other local cardiologists after catching wind of Dr. Midei's alleged actions. St. Joseph said, however, the hospital's status as an area referral center would make the facility more likely to perform stents at higher-than-average-rates.
Read the Baltimore Sun's report on St. Joseph Medical Center.
Read more coverage unnecessary heart stent investigations:
- OIG's Increased Scrutiny on Heart Stents and ICDs: What It Means For Your Hospital
- Unnamed Maryland Hospital Under Investigation for Possibly Performing Unnecessary Procedures
- Investigation by Maryland Officials Alleges Several Cardiologists in the State Performed Stent Procedures at Suspiciously High Rates
Attorney Jay D. Miller said in the report he soon expects to file malpractice claims on behalf of his 104 clients, who will each file separately.
Two other lawsuits related to the stents were filed in January, and one is seeking class action status, according to the report.
The claims will be filed in Maryland's Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office, which arbitrates malpractice cases, according to the report.
Nearly 600 patients were notified by the hospital in late 2009 that they may have received unnecessary stents from Dr. Midei. On average, physicians who perform cardiac catheterization will place a stent 30 percent of the time. Dr. Midei performed stents at twice that rate.
State officials began looking into the practices of other local cardiologists after catching wind of Dr. Midei's alleged actions. St. Joseph said, however, the hospital's status as an area referral center would make the facility more likely to perform stents at higher-than-average-rates.
Read the Baltimore Sun's report on St. Joseph Medical Center.
Read more coverage unnecessary heart stent investigations:
- OIG's Increased Scrutiny on Heart Stents and ICDs: What It Means For Your Hospital
- Unnamed Maryland Hospital Under Investigation for Possibly Performing Unnecessary Procedures
- Investigation by Maryland Officials Alleges Several Cardiologists in the State Performed Stent Procedures at Suspiciously High Rates