Hundreds of Massachusetts hospital sufferers are on excessive alert after officers mentioned they could have been uncovered to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV throughout a medical imaging process.
Salem Hospital officers revealed on Wednesday that roughly 450 sufferers receiving an endoscopy between June 2021 and April 2023 have been doubtlessly uncovered in the course of the administration of IV drugs “in a manner not consistent with our best practice.”
An endoscopy is a medical imaging process wherein medical doctors use a tube to take a look at inner organs.
A press release from the hospital highlighting the event on Wednesday didn’t present particulars on how the publicity might have occurred and the way it was corrected. Officials remained mum about specifics on Thursday.
After turning into conscious of the problem earlier this 12 months, officers mentioned they fastened the observe and notified its high quality and an infection management groups.
“Salem Hospital has notified all potentially impacted patients, set up a clinician-staffed hotline to answer questions, and we are providing them with free screening and any necessary support,” officers mentioned in an announcement. “There is no evidence to date of any infections resulting from this incident.”
The hospital has been working with the state Department of Public Health in managing the state of affairs, with the division conducting an onsite investigation.
A division spokesperson informed information shops that the division additionally suggested the hospital “to offer free-of-charge follow-up care, including testing.”
The assessments being supplied are “standard tests for an exposure of this kind because they are common blood-borne pathogenic viruses that often don’t produce symptomatic infection,” a hospital spokesperson mentioned.
Hepatitis B and C in addition to HIV are blood-borne viruses that some individuals carry of their blood and could be unfold from one particular person to a different. Hepatitis B and C are treatable with antiviral drugs, and whereas HIV will not be curable, it may be handled with antiretroviral remedy.
Mass General Brigham owns Salem Hospital.
“The safety of our patients is our highest priority, and we have undertaken multiple corrective actions in response to this event,” an organization spokesperson mentioned. “We sincerely apologize to those who have been impacted, and we remain committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate health care to our community.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”