Catbird
Senior Moderator
Second New York hospital alerts patients to possible HIV exposure
January 25, 2013
"For the second time this month, a New York hospital has notified 1,915 patients that after internal review, there is a possibility that reused insulin pens may have exposed them to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. According to a press release, Olean General Hospital has recommended testing for all patients who were possibly exposed.
?Recent news stories brought to light problems with the inappropriate re-use of insulin pens at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Buffalo,? Upper Allegheny Health System President and CEO, Timothy J. Finan, said in a press release. ?This situation prompted Olean General Hospital to initiate its own review and audit of the use of insulin pens at the hospital. Interviews with nursing staff indicated that the practice of using one patient?s insulin pen for other patients may have occurred on some patients.?
...Yesterday, the hospital sent a letter to all hospitalized patients who received insulin pen injections from November 23, 2009 to January 26, 2013. The letter notifies patients that they may or may not have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV."
Excerpt from press release by Olean General Hospital:
"Olean General Hospital announced today that a careful internal review of hospital insulin pen use raised the possibility that their re-use may have occurred with some patients during the period November 2009 to January 16, 2013.
The hospital has not identified a single patient who ever received an insulin injection from another patient?s insulin pen. Hospital officials also emphasized there is no documentation at this time of the transmission of any blood borne infections during the stay of any patient who received insulin from the pens during this period.
Nonetheless, hospital officials recommend, as a precautionary measure, that those individuals who received insulin from an insulin pen at Olean General Hospital during the time period be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. The letter to patients also recommends they be retested for HIV three months after their last insulin pen injection at Olean General Hospital and for hepatitis B and hepatitis C six months after their last insulin pen injection at the hospital.
Olean General Hospital, a member of Upper Allegheny Health System, is mailing letters today to 1,915 patients hospitalized at Olean General since November 2009 who received insulin pen injections while at the hospital.
The hospital...has established a call center ? 716-375-7590 or 1-888-980-1220 ? staffed from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week."
January 25, 2013
"For the second time this month, a New York hospital has notified 1,915 patients that after internal review, there is a possibility that reused insulin pens may have exposed them to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. According to a press release, Olean General Hospital has recommended testing for all patients who were possibly exposed.
?Recent news stories brought to light problems with the inappropriate re-use of insulin pens at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Buffalo,? Upper Allegheny Health System President and CEO, Timothy J. Finan, said in a press release. ?This situation prompted Olean General Hospital to initiate its own review and audit of the use of insulin pens at the hospital. Interviews with nursing staff indicated that the practice of using one patient?s insulin pen for other patients may have occurred on some patients.?
...Yesterday, the hospital sent a letter to all hospitalized patients who received insulin pen injections from November 23, 2009 to January 26, 2013. The letter notifies patients that they may or may not have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV."
Excerpt from press release by Olean General Hospital:
"Olean General Hospital announced today that a careful internal review of hospital insulin pen use raised the possibility that their re-use may have occurred with some patients during the period November 2009 to January 16, 2013.
The hospital has not identified a single patient who ever received an insulin injection from another patient?s insulin pen. Hospital officials also emphasized there is no documentation at this time of the transmission of any blood borne infections during the stay of any patient who received insulin from the pens during this period.
Nonetheless, hospital officials recommend, as a precautionary measure, that those individuals who received insulin from an insulin pen at Olean General Hospital during the time period be tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV. The letter to patients also recommends they be retested for HIV three months after their last insulin pen injection at Olean General Hospital and for hepatitis B and hepatitis C six months after their last insulin pen injection at the hospital.
Olean General Hospital, a member of Upper Allegheny Health System, is mailing letters today to 1,915 patients hospitalized at Olean General since November 2009 who received insulin pen injections while at the hospital.
The hospital...has established a call center ? 716-375-7590 or 1-888-980-1220 ? staffed from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week."