Maryland Lawsuits AgainstAmerican Anesthesiology of Maryland

According to Maryland Judiciary Case Search, American Anesthesiology of Maryland, entered with that exact spelling, has been sued for medical malpractice 4 times since 2012. It has not been sued for any tort claims since 2012. The exact search criteria used on Maryland Judiciary Case Search is as follows:  Company: American Anesthesiology of Maryland, Party Type: Defendant, Case Type: Civil, Court System: Circuit Court only, County: Default All, Filing Date: 9/26/2012-08/24/2020.

History of American Anesthesiology of Maryland

Formed as a private group practice in 1973 under the name Physicians Anesthesia Associates, this third party medical contractor employs 48 anesthesiology specialists as well as an administrative support staff. Its doctors have remained the exclusive providers of anesthesiology care to Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC) since 1965, and the group also works with The Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital and several surgical centers throughout the Baltimore region.

In 2014, Physicians Anesthesia Associates was acquired by MEDNAX, Inc., a company comprised of medical subspecialty providers. The group then became known as American Anesthesiology of Maryland to reflect its addition to MEDNAX’S American Anesthesiology division. According to Maryland Judiciary Case Search, the company’s former name of Physicians Anesthesia Associates, entered with that exact spelling and using the same metrics listed above, yields 1 lawsuit for medical malpractice since 2012 and no lawsuits for tort claims since 2012.

The group transitioned again in May 2020 when North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA) acquired the American Anesthesiology division of MEDNAX, Inc. NAPA, a company formed in 1986 that focuses on anesthesia and pain management services, is currently honoring an 18- month transition period for American Anesthesiology’s doctors and administrative staff before they are fully branded as NAPA providers. A search of Maryland Judiciary Case Search for North American Partners in Anesthesia, using that exact spelling and the metrics listed above, yields 2 medical malpractice lawsuits since 2012 and no lawsuits for tort claims since 2012.

About Anesthesia Malpractice Lawsuits

Malpractice claims against anesthesiologists spiked around 30 years ago, when the mortality rate from anesthesia hovered at a relatively high 1 in 6,000 patients. Today the risk of dying from anesthesia has plummeted to about 1 instance of mortality for every 200,000 patients. This dramatic increase in safety has been credited to industry wide changes designed to prevent a tragic anesthesia error before it happens, such as refinement of anesthesia administration procedures, stringent limits on work hours to prevent physician fatigue, and technological advancements in monitoring equipment that alerts doctors when a sedated patient is at risk of a complication. These improvements in the field of anesthesiology have resulted in some of the lowest malpractice insurance rates for any medical specialty, simply because claims filed against anesthesiology providers in recent years have been comparatively rare.

However, tragedy can and does still happen when anesthesia is administered. It’s important to remember that general anesthesia, the type of pain management where a patient is rendered unconscious prior to a major surgery, involves powerful sedatives that can affect breathing, heart rate, and blood flow. When these drugs are improperly administered or not adequately monitored for their effects on a patient, a routine medical procedure can turn dire very quickly. Some of the most common anesthesia complications include permanent nerve injuries from intubation tubes that aren’t placed correctly or inappropriate positioning of a patient on the operating table. Claims have also been filed against doctors who failed to note medications and allergies that interacted with the anesthesia administered to their patients, resulting in devastating brain damage and even death. Pregnant women and newborns are especially vulnerable to serious anesthesia complications, often due to delayed intubation and lax monitoring once anesthesia drugs are dispensed.

While malpractice claims against anesthesia providers have decreased, these doctors are still capable of making mistakes. When that happens, there is potential for a relatively high verdict or settlement against the defendant since the outcomes of anesthesia related negligence can be particularly devastating.

Some of the major personal injury attorneys that regularly sue American Anesthesiology of Maryland for medical malpractice are: Bader & Cooper, The Law Office Of Roger J. Bennett, P.A, and The Law Office Of Peter G. Angelos P.C. As the group is based in the Baltimore metropolitan region, the majority of malpractice cases against it are filed in Baltimore County Circuit Court and Baltimore City Circuit Court. If you or a loved one have been injured by American Anesthesiology of Maryland, you should contact a personal injury lawyer to assess your claim.

Last updated August 31, 2020