2,400 people in Oregon potentially exposed to HIV, hepatitis through botched anesthesia
An anesthesiologist contracted at various Oregon health care facilities did not practice proper infection control, posing a risk to patients.
Anesthesiologist mistakes in drug delivery may have exposed almost 2,400 patients receiving treatment in Oregon hospitals to HIV, hepatitis, or other blood-borne illnesses.
In a statement released on Thursday, July 11, Providence, a healthcare organization with operations across multiple states, informed the public of the potential for exposure.
“We recently learned that Providence’s comprehensive infection control practices may not have been followed by a physician during some procedures at Portland-area hospitals,” the statement continues. Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center are two of these hospitals. Providence is alerting the two patients seen at the later medical center and “approximately 2,200 patients” seen at the earlier facility to this possible risk.
The same doctor also worked at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center, a Legacy Health facility. “We are currently composing letters to notify 221 patients who might have been affected,” a Legacy representative said in an email correspondence with Live Science.
The doctor worked as an anesthesiologist with Oregon Anesthesiology Group (OAG), a group that collaborates with western Oregon hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities.
“When we learned that the physician had violated infection control practices, we suspended him, informed our partners Legacy Health and Providence, and then began an investigation that resulted in the physician’s termination,” a spokesman for the OAG told Live Science in an email. “Even though the risk of infection was low, new protocols and procedures have been put in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
The Associated Press (AP) stated that the doctor’s identity has not been made public.
According to Providence authorities, the anesthesiologist’s actions placed patients “at low risk” of contracting HIV and hepatitis B and C, among other blood-borne illnesses. The AP article states that the provider collaborated with Providence from 2017 to 2023.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are encouraging these patients to get a blood test to screen for the aforementioned infections, at no cost,” added Providence. Patients who test positive will be contacted and given information about what can happen next.
It was stressed by Legacy Health that “this was an isolated situation involving a single provider.” Beginning in December 2023, the anesthesiologist has a contract to work at the Legacy facility for approximately six months.
The comments from the health care systems don’t specify how their safety procedures were broken. The probe, according to the Oregon Health Authority and the AP, focused on an anesthesiologist who administered intravenous anesthetic while engaging in “unacceptable” infection control practices.
Needles, syringes, and other equipment must usually be thoroughly cleaned in health care facilities before being used on a patient. Additionally, a single needle and syringe should never be used on more than one person.
