Dr. Mark Midei, the Maryland cardiologist at the center of a high-profile case of alleged over-stenting, lost a bid to charge his former employer, St. Joseph Medical Center, with defamation.
Although court documents were not yet available, electronic filings show that Maryland judge Mickey Norman dismissed Midei’s lawsuit.
Earlier this year Midei wrote in an editorial published in the Baltimore Sun that his "decisions as a doctor have been motivated by one thing only: The well-being of my patients."
He added that St. Joseph attempted to foist the blame of the unnecessary stents on him, raising questions over whether the institution itself was guilty of fraudulent medical practice.
The hospital and Midei were slapped with a class-action lawsuit 2 weeks after the hospital notified patients about the possibly unneeded procedures in January 2010. A Towson attorney later filed 101 complaints against the pair, alleging conspiracy, negligence and fraud.
In November 2010, St. Joseph agreed to pay $22 million to the federal government to settle a whistleblower lawsuit over the implantations, without admitting any guilt.
The lawsuit was filed by a trio of cardiac surgeons who alleged that the hospital and an independent practice, MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates, ran a 10-year scheme to drive referrals from St. Joseph to MACVA.
"These charges, which originated from someone within the hospital community, conveniently surfaced as St. Joseph Medical Center and its Denver-based owner Catholic Health Initiatives was entangled in a federal investigation of misconduct between them and [MACVA]. As my troubles became front-page news, St. Joseph Medical Center moved to the back page," Midei wrote in his editorial.
Midei is accused of implanting unnecessary stents in as many as 369 patients. The case is under review by the U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services. Midei, whose medical license was revoked by the Maryland Board of Physicians, has claimed innocence.
Midei is also waiting to hear back on a petition seeking reinstatement of his Maryland medical license, the Baltimore Sun reported.
St. Joseph is also set to be acquired by the University of Maryland Medical System, according to the paper.