CDC Warns of Safety Problems at Clinics

[flashl]

WASHINGTON (AP) — An outbreak of hepatitis C at a Nevada clinic may represent "the tip of an iceberg" of safety problems at clinics around the country, according to the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The city of Las Vegas shut down the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada last Friday after state health officials determined that six patients had contracted hepatitis C because of unsafe practices including clinic staff reusing syringes and vials. Nevada health officials are trying to contact about 40,000 patients who received anesthesia by injection at the clinic between March 2004 and Jan. 11 to urge them to get tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., met Monday with CDC head Dr. Julie Gerberding, and on a media conference call after their meeting both strongly condemned practices at the clinic.

Health care accreditors "would consider this a patient safety error that falls into the category of a 'never event,' meaning this should never happen in contemporary health care organizations," said Gerberding.

AP

As Wal-Mart and other are ready to roll out retail clinics.

[fed-up]

1. and they are just catching the problem now-4 years later?? between March 2004 and Jan. 11 nt

[Mojorabbit]

2. Big problems at tha CDC

morale is horrible with the person * put at the helm. Lots of experienced people have left. A total mess right now.