Personal Injury Law

Unnecessary-Sent Doctor Admits Allowing Salespeople Into Surgery Room

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

We have been closely following the case of medical fraud at the St. Joseph Medical Center involving the prominent heart doctor who exposed hundreds of patients to unnecessary stent procedures. The surgeon at the center of the scandal is accused of telling patients that they needed stents inserted into their hearts, even though they didn?t, all to raise his own profile and increase his pocketbook.

Now, the Baltimore Sun is reporting that depositions in the case have revealed that the doctor admitted that salespeople for the stent-makers were allowed inside cardiac treatment rooms?a clear violation of hospital rules and patient privacy.

Abbott Laboratories employees developed a cozy relationship with the heart doctor?raising questions about the influence that those salespeople have on medical care and product choice. A state Senate committee already admitted that the relationship between the doctor and the medical manufacturer may have ?indirectly encouraged [the doctor] to intensify his use of stents, with unfortunate results.?

The stents costs patients $10,000 or more, require risky surgery, and place patients at increased risk for a variety of other problems. The doctor is this case was caught implanting hundreds unnecessarily, but experts believe that wasteful stent procedures are a nationwide problem.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on December 15, 2010 (boomark / email).