Monday, March 30, 2009

VA and Patient Contamination....( And today Miami is added to the list)

Snippet From the Article:::
"CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Thousands of military veterans across the South are waiting to find out if they were exposed to infectious diseases by government clinics that performed colonoscopies and other procedures with equipment that wasn't properly sterilized.Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Katie Roberts said officials are working to determine if mistakes that may have exposed patients to infections at medical centers in Tennessee and Florida and a clinic in Georgia could have also happened at other VA facilities.

"We don't know for certain," Roberts said.

The VA recently warned some veterans who had colonoscopies as far back as five years ago at its hospitals in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Miami that they may have been exposed to the body fluids of other patients and should undergo tests to make sure they haven't contracted serious illnesses."
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I am concerned HOW this could have happened- it is inexcusable and questionable, and beyond Negligence. Roberts "Answer" about being Certain makes NO sense, How could they be so vague and uncertain as to how this happened. I don't understand HOW patients in three different Medical Areas could have been exposed to such terrible conditions.Patients were exposed to Infections while getting care.WHY was the Equipment NOT sterilized properly and for so many years and WHY was no one told until now. These patients now must be tested for HIV, and Hepatitis.

2 comments:

Annette said...

This doesn't make sense.. why would more than one hospital be involved unless it was a concerted effort to do something to the veterans. Unless the same person moved from one hospital or clinic.

enigma4ever said...

I can not figure it out annette...
this is not an "error"- this is a Error of HUGE proportions- that I think they must have changed Policy on Cleaning Equipment- my guess to Save Money- and maybe they were "trying it" in some key Centers ?

I can not imagine WHO would Okay such a Drastic Dangerous Stupid process ???

I too have been pondering it and trying to research it...and yes on another level I worry- were they testing the VETS ????

very very worrisome...