It is not just medical professionals that must be held accountable for keeping patients safe. The hospitals and facilities in which these professionals work also hold responsibility, and if a doctor is acting negligently, the facility can also be held financially liable for the damages caused to victims.
A federal investigation into a doctor performing unnecessary stent implants between 2007 and 2009 at St. Joseph Medical Center left the hospital with an exodus of staff and revenue, necessitating a sale of the hospital. Further, this doctor's actions left the Maryland hospital the uncomfortable task of informing all the victims.
Accordingly, 500 patients received an alarming letter informing them that there was a serious possibility that a stent surgically implanted in them was entirely unnecessary. The interventional cardiologist maintains no wrongdoing. However, since the allegations surfaced, the doctor's medical license was revoked for violating the Medical Practice Act in performing these unnecessary implants.
A large percentage of the victims of this unnecessary procedure reports that the happening resulted in lasting medical complications. Many of these individuals consulted experienced attorneys for assistance in filing medical malpractice claims against both the doctor and the hospital. A trial representing several of the victims was recently settled for an undisclosed amount.
There are still 45 pending cases to tend to, even after this settlement addressed a significant portion of lawsuits. This settlement will not impact those remaining cases. An attorney can assist a victim of a medical negligence understand where liability falls and how to pursue recovery.
