Litigation Begins on ‘Unnecessary’ Implants
The first lawsuit has been filed in connection with St. Joseph Medical Center’s disclosure this month that hundreds of patients may have received unnecessary coronary implants from a former cardiologist at the hospital.
Thomas Chaffee of Finksburg is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from the hospital and Dr. Mark G. Midei, according to the complaint filed Friday with the state’s Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office. Chaffee is represented by H. Briggs Bedigian of The Law Offices of Wais and Vogelstein in Pikesville.
Chaffee alleges that one of two stents Midei implanted during a February 2009 surgery was “medically unnecessary,” according to the complaint. A stent is used to keep open a clogged artery. The six-count complaint includes counts of fraud by intentional misrepresentation on Midei’s part, fraud by concealment against St. Joseph and medical malpractice against both.
Bedigian said he and his firm will file additional, similar lawsuits in the weeks to come but declined to reveal how many.
St. Joseph is under federal investigation for fraud based on its relationship with MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates, one of the largest medical groups in the state. Midei, a founder of MidAtlantic before moving to St. Joseph, lost his privileges at the hospital last summer.
