Hospital patients possibly exposed to hepatitis, HIV after doctor disregards safety protocols

Portland, Ore. (KPTV/Gray News) - Thousands of hospital patients in the Pacific Northwest may have been exposed to diseases after a doctor disregarded infection control procedures.

Legacy Health representatives said they are in the process of sending letters to 221 patients to notify them regarding the breach.

“The safety of our patients is our highest priority. Upon learning of this situation, we immediately suspended the provider and launched a comprehensive investigation in accordance with regulations and with our policies and procedures,” a spokesperson for the company said.

Legacy Health has six hospitals, a children’s hospital, and multiple clinics in Oregon and Washington state.

“Our community should know that this was an isolated situation involving a single provider, contracted with the Oregon Anesthesiology Group to provide care at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center for approximately six months beginning in December of 2023,” the company shared on Thursday.

Providence Health & Services also said it is notifying its patients regarding the possible exposure.

Representatives with Providence said that about 2,200 patients treated at its Portland-area hospitals may have been exposed to hepatitis and HIV.

“The actions of this physician might have put patients at a low risk of exposure to possible infections, including hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),” Providence Health shared in a statement.

According to Providence Health, the doctor in question was employed by the Oregon Anesthesiology Group, which no longer provides services for them.

The physician is also no longer employed by OAG.

“The safety of our patients is our top priority. 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 spokesperson for OAG shared.

Out of an abundance of caution, Providence Health said its team is encouraging the patients who were notified to get a blood test screening at no cost.

If a patient tests positive, Providence Health said it would discuss the test results and the patient’s next steps.

“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 Oregon Anesthesiology Group wrote.