Medical records for patients of indicted Springfield cardiologist ‘in no man’s land’

SPRINGFIELD — More than a year after a Springfield cardiologist’s practice was shut down amid a federal investigation, patients say their medical records are still in a “no man’s land.”

Dr. Salim Dahdah and his wife, Cindy, are facing trial Oct. 9 in federal court in Columbus. They were among more than 400 indicted nationwide in what the U.S. Justice Department called a health care fraud takedown.

RELATED: Springfield cardiologist among hundreds charged with healthcare fraud

“This is a life or death situation,” said one former patient, who declined to be identified. “We do not know where our records are. We can only assume they’re still in the office over on North Limestone Street ... but I don’t know that for a fact. And no one seems to be able to tell us where they are.”

She and her husband are longtime patients of Dahdah’s practice, Ohio Institute of Cardiac Care.

In January 2015, investigators raided the office, and in July 2017, the Dahdahs were indicted. They are accused of fraudulently receiving more than $2 million in Medicare and Medicaid money for allegedly ordering unnecessary tests.

RELATED: Patients react to fraud indictment of Springfield cardiologist

His former patient believes in his innocence. She just wants her records.

“We’ve been a patient of this doctor since 2001, so we have a huge record with him ... You need those records for your new doctor so he knows what the past history is.”

Dahdah’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment. He and his wife have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, court records show.

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