By: Robert J. Terry

The allegations surrounding unnecessary stent implants at St. Joseph Medical Center could lead to increased government scrutiny of Maryland hospitals and their medical practices.

That’s the main takeaway from a story the Baltimore Business Journal broke Wednesday morning. John M. Colmers, the state’s top health care regulator, is quoted in a nine-page report to Maryland Del. Peter Hammen suggesting ways to “enhance the state’s ability” to root out and prevent the types of medical fraud currently being investigated at St. Joseph Medical Center. Dr. Mark Midei, a cardiologist, is alleged to have performed unnecessary stent implants.

The Towson hospital has identified nearly 600 heart patients who may not have had blockages considered severe enough to warrant the implants. Midei is no longer practicing at St. Joseph.

The Baltimore Sun followed up a couple of hours later with its own story on the Colmers findings in which it also reports that a second Maryland hospital is being investigated for allegedly performing unnecessary medical procedures. The hospital was not named in the story or in the letter from Colmers, the secretary of Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The Health Services Cost Review Commission, the Office of the Inspector General, the Physicians’ Board and the Maryland Health Care Commission had input on the report, which outlines procedural and legislative changes that could boost the powers those agencies wield in investigating medical fraud.

All of this means there are going to be some very interesting developments to track on the health care policy front between now and January, when the General Assembly reconvenes for its annual 90-day session.

The BBJ quotes Hammen, a Baltimore Democrat who chairs the House Health and Government Operations Committee, saying he will turn the suggestions in the Colmers report into legislation for the General Assembly to consider, and he’s planning to align key interest groups around the bill — chiefly, hospitals, health insurers and doctors in the state.