WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Oregon Health Authority recently disclosed that they are currently investigating a case involving a physician from the Oregon Anesthesiology Group who administered intravenous anesthesia and allegedly used inadequate infection control practices while treating approximately 2,400 patients. As a result, these patients may have been exposed to infections such as HIV and hepatitis B and C.
To address this serious situation, hospitals have begun the process of sending letters to patients who may have been affected. Around 2,200 individuals from Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, as well as two patients from Providence Portland Medical Center and 221 patients from Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham, are among those being contacted.
Letters are being mailed and MyChart notifications are being sent to inform patients about the importance of undergoing a blood test to screen for infections. It's worth noting that the testing will be provided at no cost to the patients.
Collaborative efforts between the Oregon Health Authority, Legacy, and Providence are underway to investigate the breaches in infection control practices. Despite the seriousness of the situation, neither the Oregon Health Authority nor the hospitals have received any reports of illnesses linked to this specific breach in infection control.
As a direct response to these events, the Oregon Anesthesiology Group has terminated the physician involved, whose identity has not been divulged. According to the group, immediate action was taken as soon as the violation of infection control practices was discovered. They have stressed that although the risk of infection was deemed to be low, new and improved protocols and procedures have since been implemented to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
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