More than 2,400 patients in hospitals located in and around Portland, Oregon, may have been exposed to infectious diseases such as hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV, as a result of an anesthesiologist who may not have adhered to infection control standards, according to the officials.
According to a statement released by Providence on Thursday, the organization is informing approximately 2,200 patients who were seen at the Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City, as well as two patients who were seen at the Providence Portland Medical Center, that the actions of the physician may have put them at a low risk of exposure to possible infections.
Officials are urging individuals to take advantage of a complimentary blood test to detect any potential infections. If a patient tests positive, Providence will contact them to discuss their test results and next steps, according to Providence.
From 2017 to 2023, the doctor served as a staff member of Oregon Anesthesiology Group and worked at two Providence locations. According to KOIN, the anesthesiology group has stopped offering services to the hospitals.
The physician also had a stint at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham for six months starting in December 2023. According to KGW-TV, Legacy Health has announced that it will be sending letters to 221 patients who may have been impacted.
The Oregon Anesthesiology Group has announced that the physician’s employment has been terminated. The name of the physician has not been disclosed.
“After discovering that the physician had disregarded infection control practices, we took immediate action by suspending him. We promptly informed our partners Legacy Health and Providence, and initiated a thorough investigation that ultimately led to the termination of the physician,” the group stated. “Despite the minimal risk of infection, we have implemented new protocols and procedures to ensure that similar incidents are avoided in the future.”
The Oregon Health Authority reported that investigations into the breach focused on a physician who administered intravenous anesthesia and engaged in “inadequate infection control practices, posing a risk of infections to patients.”
OHA is collaborating with Legacy and Providence to address concerns regarding breaches of infection control practices. According to the health authority, there have been no reports of illness associated with this infection control breach, as neither OHA nor the hospitals are aware of any such cases.