Well-known heart surgeon Dr. Marc Midei has lost his license after being found to have performed hundreds of unnecessary surgeries on his patients by the Maryland Board of Physicians. It turns out that they really need juris doctors.
The 88-page report from the Maryland Board of Physicians would seem to describe not just malpractice but criminal conduct. St. Joseph Medical Center notified 585 people that they have been given unnecessarily surgeries.
The State Board of Physicians found in 4 of the 5 cases reviewed showed signs of fabrication.
The board also found that Midei fabricated results to show blockages to justify surgery. Why isn’t this a criminal matter? If I cut open someone, it is at a minimum assault and battery. If a doctor knowingly fabricated data to justify a surgery, it is just an administrative problem?
Midei and St. Joseph’s now face 181 lawsuits.
Source: Baltimore Sun
Pete,
It is the Bentley Continental GT that the ultra excessive indulgences of choice today…..the starting price is about $189,900…….
that new beemer ain’t gonna pay for itself
anon nurse,
Gene H will stand our bail ’cause he’s gonna come to love us!
Blouise, Yes, he will… come to love us, that is. (lol)
lottakatz, Mike S.,
It’s the whole ball of wax, of course… The costs (medical, not to mention financial), including the not insignificant risk of a nosocomial/hospital-acquired infection and/or post-surgical blot clots…, and I could go on…
Prison time.
“It would seem to me that a doctor performing needless operations would be demonstrating a wilful disregard for his/her patients well-being, possibly their life, due to the risk of complications from the anesthesia alone.”
LK,
Would that it was anesthesia alone. Many routine heart procedures have at least a 1 to 2% mortality rate and don’t require anesthesia. This includes stress tests and cardiac catheterization. These tests are given routinely and many times they are really not needed. As I was told by the Head of Cardiology, at a pestigious hospital, who I went to for a second opinion as to whether I needed another catheritization: You don’t do procedures, even with minimum risk, if their is no change of treatment indicated despite the procedure outcome. I fired the Cardiologist, a very prestigious one, when he couldn’t dispute the Second Opinion, but thought the procedure was a good idea anyway..
anon nurse,
Gene H will stand our bail ’cause he’s gonna come to love us!
On those occasion’s that I have had to be informed about the use of anesthesia I was told that the consent form that had to be signed was to insure that I (or mine) was aware that the use of anesthesia could lead to complications, possibly life threatening complications in 1% to 7% of the patients.
It would seem to me that a doctor performing needless operations would be demonstrating a wilful disregard for his/her patients well-being, possibly their life, due to the risk of complications from the anesthesia alone.
I sure would like to see this doctor go to jail and have no doubt that a prosecutor worth her/his salary could make a case on some basis. At some point, civil remedies simply are not justice. They may be the law but they aren’t justice IMO.
In 1992, when I had my last MI, I was referred to a “Cadillac Cardiology Practice” by my internist. They gave me a Cardiac Catheterization that showed that though there was extensive damage, my condition couldn’t be helped by a bypass operation. Since I was then somewhat impaired, I was shocked when they sent me back to the care of my Internist, with no plans on their part to follow up. If you have a heart condition it is normal to see a Cardiologist at least every 6 months, even if you are stable. Since I had excellent health insurance I can only conclude that my case wasn’t worth enough to them, to continue with it.
While during my 30 years of heart trouble I have been blessed to have the care of wonderful practitioners, the greatest being the surgeon who gave me my heart transplant. However, as in the example above there are some in it just for the money. This sound exactly like that type of Doctor.
This seems related to organ harvesting for some reason.
Gene H.
lol (…I’m thinking…. hmmm….agent provocateur… 😉 )
Just kidding, Blouise…. Yes, to an evening “plotting” — it would be fun…
This guy shouldn’t be able to reapply for his license no matter a waiting period. I’d like to know why the DA or the AG isn’t pursuing criminal charges.
Blouise,
That sounds like a great idea except for the bail expenses. 🙂
If you lived closer we could spend the evening plotting … 😉
anon nurse,
Sorry … I forgot. Will do it tonight as everybody will be out and I have the house to myself!!
As nearly as I can tell, no professionals in our society do more damage and subsequently evade more appropriate discipline, than errant MDs.
We are stunningly ho-hum about bad physicians, as well as their otherwise ethical peers, who could stamp out the pestilence, but don’t:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/16/AR2011031605966.html
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-12-03-doctor-standards_N.htm
I often wonder what it might take to move a righteous citizenry to start marching with torches and a few heads on sticks.
“If I cut open someone, it is at a minimum assault and battery. If a doctor knowingly fabricated data to justify a surgery, it is just an administrative problem?”
************************
Your answer lies is the difference between the second word in your first sentence and the third word in your second one. There is a pecking order –even in criminal cases.
Blouise,
Looked for that e-mail last night…
anon nurse,
agree
“The board of physicians says he can try to reapply for his license in another two years.” -Baltimore Sun
He should be permanently stripped of his license and spend time in the clink, IMO.
First, “do no harm”….
TY
But if he murdered someone he could keep his license right?
I bet the insurance companies went after him…in reality….