Heart Broken: Patients claim Indiana heart doctor subjected them to unnecessary cardiac procedures
Like the Pflums, both the unnamed patient and Lawton are still waiting for medical review panels to consider their cases. The process can drag out for years.
In the meantime, Lawton says she is in agony every day because of the heart procedures performed by Harlamert.
“I could walk around here without a walker or without my cane. I could do the gardening. Now, I can’t do it,” she said.
Lawton told 13News she is now crippled and bed ridden, unable to walk or even feel her right foot, after a huge blood clot immediately developed in her groin in the same spot where Harlamert inserted the catheter wire for her heart cath. After that procedure, hospital records show Lawton went into shock, needed four units of blood, and nurses listed her prognosis as “grave” because of internal bleeding from that blood clot – all following a procedure she says she didn’t need in the first place.
Situations like that are why patients like Carlota Lawton and John Pflum are now speaking out.
“What about the next guy?” Lawton asked. “I’m just trying to protect other people.”
“Look, this has to stop,” said Pflum, who told 13News he is still recovering from post-traumatic stress syndrome following dozens of heart procedures. “Somebody else’s life could be at stake. It just needs to stop.”
If you believe you or someone you know has received inappropriate medical care from Edward Harlamert or from any other physician, 13 Investigates would like to hear your story. You can contact us at .
Statement on behalf of Dr. Harlamert in response to 13 Investigates
For more than 30 years, Dr. Harlamert has treated his cardiology patients based on their unique circumstances, his expertise, and the tools available. When disputes arise about a medical professional’s treatment of patients, there is an Indiana statutory medical review process that is to be followed. In this process, all facts and evidence are presented to an unbiased medical review panel comprised of medical professionals. Dr. Harlamert has always been committed to providing quality care to patients. As previously stated, there is a legal process for these types of disputes, and it allows all parties the opportunity to investigate the claims and conduct discovery prior to the presentation of evidence to a panel of unbiased medical professionals. Because of stringent privacy laws and pending litigation, a response to a local news story is not the proper forum to present a picture of any particular treatment decision, especially when that picture may be incomplete at this time.
--Elliott I. Pinkie, Attorney, Pinkie Law LLC, and Kelly K. McFadden, O’Neill McFadden & Willett LLP
NOTE: 13News contacted all of the health care networks that are named in the malpractice claims involving Edward Harlamert. Community Health, Indiana University Health and Witham Health said they will not discuss the claims based on the pending litigation, and they would not confirm the dates for which they employed the cardiologist.
