Former Md. Doctor Said To Place Unnecessary Stents
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The trial of a former Eastern Shore doctor accused of inserting unnecessary heart stents has begun in Baltimore.
The health care fraud trial of Dr. John R. McLean began Tuesday in federal court in Baltimore.
McLean is accused of falsifying patient records in order to justify placing hundreds of medically unnecessary stents into relatively healthy arteries.
McLean, whose criminal trial is expected to last a month, faces decades in prison if found guilty. McLean is not the only Maryland physician facing accusations of unnecessary stent procedures. Towson cardiologist Mark Midei has been charged administratively with doing unnecessary procedures. He is facing the loss of his license, though not prison time. The executive director of the Maryland Board of Physicians said he expects Midei's case to be resolved within a week.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
