Nevada Hepatitis C Crisis Continues – More Confirmed Cases

Nevada health officials announced that they received information about evidence of another hepatitis C case related to the first outbreak at the Shadow Lane facility that was closed down last week.

This came Several weeks after a procedure was performed at the Desert Shadow clinic, the patient’s doctor diagnosed the infection, according to officials. This was not reported to the district, as is required by state law, health officials said.

“Had the doctor reported this to us, maybe we would have been able to find it back in 2006 and eliminated any potential for disease transmission,” said Brian Labus, chief epidemiologist for the health district.

The complete story and more information about the Nevada Hepatitis Scare, the Endoscopy Center of Nevada and Clinic Closures can be found at:

www.resource4thepeople.com/medicalmalpractice

Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada Closed

The city of Las Vegas shut down an the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada Friday just days after it was found that 40,000 patients might have been exposed to Hepatitis C and Aids because of the center’s medical practices.

In a news conference Friday, Mayor Oscar Goodman said that the clinic’s business license is suspended until further notice. After the last 6 patients for the day completed their treatment, the doors were locked.

“The city now has the business license in hand,” Goodman said. “They don’t have a license to do business in the city of Las Vegas.”

On Wednesday, health officials said 40,000 people who were treated at the clinic from March 2004 to Jan. 11 of this year should be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

State and federal investigators told the city that members of the clinic’s nursing staff knew of the poor techniques, which included reusing syringes when drawing medicine from vials, and sharing vials among patients, resulting in cross contamination.

The nurses said they were told to cut those corners by their bosses, even though they knew they “risked contaminating patients with life communicable diseases.”

One investigator told Jim DiFiore, the business services manager, “It’s very hard to believe that they won’t do it again.”

The city offered a post-suspension hearing on Monday at City Hall.

More Information can be found here…

Nevada Endoscopy Center Patients Warned of HIV and Hepatitis Risk

Important HIV and Hepatitis information for patients of Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada.

The Southern Nevada Health District alerted patients that had received injected anesthesia medicine during medical procedures at the Endoscopy Center of Nevada, located at 700 Shadow Lane, of high risk exposure and possible contraction of Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, HIV and other possible blood borne diseases. All people that had procedures between March 2004 and January 11, 2008 and instructed to seek medical attention from their doctors or health care providers immediately to be tested for infection.

Important Questions and Answers for patients that had procedures at this medical center and believe they are at risk of exposure:

Q: Why are people being asked to get tested?

A: The health district was advised of 6 Hepatitis cases, of which 5 have had medical procedures involving anesthesia injections. The CDC and Health District, after investigation, reported that unsafe injection practices of an anesthetic may have exposed patients to the blood of other patients.

Q: How were patients exposed?

A: A syringe (not a needle) used on a patient was used again on the same person to draw additional medication. The re-drawing of medicine using the same syringe could infect the vial from where the medicine was taken from the patient. The vial, not identified for use on multiple people, was reused for another patient. If the vial was infected with the blood of the first person, it is possible that the vial could have been exposed to blood borne pathogens.

Q: How many people may be affected?

A: it is unknown how many people will contract Hepatitis, HIV or other blood diseases but it is estimated that some 40,000 patients are at risk.

 

 

If you or a loved one has had a medical procedure at this center or have been notified by healthcare professionals or believe you may be at risk for exposure and contraction of Hepatitis, HIV or any other blood disease from unsafe injection practices at The Endoscopy Center of Nevada, contact us today. 1-888-775-3779

 

 

 

 

The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada issued the following statement:

“On behalf of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, we want to express our deep concern about this incident to the many patients who have put their trust in us over the years. As always, our patients remain our primary responsibility and we have already corrected the situation.”

“The recent events related to the Southern Nevada Health District study mark the first time anything like this has ever happened at our facility. We have already taken steps to ensure that it will never happen again.”

“The health district began its investigation in January, and we have been fully cooperating with them. We were officially notified by the health district on February 6, 2008 and submitted our detailed Plan of Correction on February 15, 2008. All concerns noted by the health department were addressed immediately. We continue to work closely with the Southern Nevada Health District and other health agencies during this ongoing review. We want to be sure that every patient who may have been exposed is informed and tested.”

“To help us with these issues, we have engaged the services of nationally renowned experts who have extensive epidemiological experience and that have worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control in the past. They include Dr. Janine Jason, CEO of Jason and Jarvis Associates. She is a Harvard Medical School-trained physician, epidemiologist, and immunologist who served as a medical scientist and senior epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was on the Emory Medical School faculty for 23 years prior to becoming a private consultant. Dr. Jason has authored more than a hundred peer-reviewed medical and epidemiologic scientific articles.”

“In addition to our corrective actions, we are on a mission to maintain the trust our patients have had in us during our years of service to southern Nevada.”

“We wish to emphasize that the actual risk of anyone being affected by this is extremely low, but as a precaution, anyone who has undergone procedures at the Endoscopy Center who required anesthesia should be tested.”

“As I’m sure you understand this situation brings with it a number of complex elements including patient privacy and regulatory guidelines. At this time, our counsel has asked that we limit our comments to this statement, and we are unable to take questions.”

Thank you.”

For additional information visit the website HERE

• Why is the health district making these recommendations?
• How were the cases discovered?
• Why did it take several months for this to come to the attention of the health district?
• How were patients exposed?
• How did you determine the link between these cases?
• What actions have been taken to correct the unsafe injection control practices?
• Who performed the investigation?
• Why is the health district also recommending testing for hepatitis B and HIV?
• How many people will be diagnosed with hepatitis C, B or HIV from this investigation?
• How serious are these illnesses?
• How many cases of hepatitis C are reported to the health district each year?
• What is the Southern Nevada Health District’s role in the response?
• As a patient how can I protect myself when getting these types of medical procedures?
• Are these types of medical procedures safe?
• What is being done to prevent this from happening again?
• What are the recommendations for people who test positive for hepatitis C, B or HIV?

Why is the health district making these recommendations?

• The health district received notification of three acute cases of hepatitis C in January 2008 and has identified a total of six cases to date. Five of the cases had procedures requiring injected anesthesia on the same day.
• Following a joint investigation with the Nevada State Bureau of Licensure and Certification (BLC) and with consultation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health district determined that unsafe injection practices related to the administration of anesthesia medication might have exposed patients to the blood of other patients.
• The exposures did not result from the medical procedures performed.