Posted on 06/30/2010 8:47:22 AM PDT by Scythian
(CNN) -- A Missouri VA hospital is under fire because it may have exposed more than 1,800 veterans to life-threatening diseases such as hepatitis and HIV.
John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis has recently mailed letters to 1,812 veterans telling them they could contract hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after visiting the medical center for dental work, said Rep. Russ Carnahan.
Carnahan said Tuesday he is calling for a investigation into the issue and has sent a letter to President Obama about it.
"This is absolutely unacceptable," said Carnahan, a Democrat from Missouri. "No veteran who has served and risked their life for this great nation should have to worry about their personal safety when receiving much needed healthcare services from a Veterans Administration hospital."
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
No, according to the article, you have a liberal congressman expounding on how dangerous it was to wash the equipment twice rather than once.
The rule was broken because it was only to be washed one time. The article says exactly that.
According to the article, that is exactly what happened.
Yes, they hospital deviated from procedure. They did more than the standard required.
Dr. Gina Michael, the association chief of staff at the hospital, told the affiliate that some dental technicians broke protocol by handwashing tools before putting them in cleaning machines. The instruments were supposed to only be put in the cleaning machines, Michael said.
People need to be banned from ever practicing medicine again. Doctors, nurses, and supervisors. Anyone found to have contributed to this issue or to have been aware of it needs to have their career ended.
Government “health care”. The problem is that the unfortunate veterans are screwed again. They can’t even sue for malpractice. nobamacare: stay healthy or die.
So, you want to fire people for doubly-cleaning used dental equipment, rather than just leaving blood and plaque on the tools for just one of those cleanings?
Get your head out and read the article. The equipment was washed twice, once by hand and once in the machine. “Protocol” was to only wash once using the machine.
You didn’t address my question - were people unnecessarily expose to diseases, as the letter they sent out indicates, or not?
No, there is no proof that two cleanings was a problem
However, one cleaning was what was required and apparently nothing more, so this is an overreaction.
How many times do you need to be told?
Although the VA concluded that the risk of “infection was extremely low,” the agency decided it was still necessary to disclose the error to patients who were treated at the medical center during that 13-month period. They are now offering free blood tests to screen for HIV as well as hepatitis B and C.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,595625,00.html
It was washed twice, which was not protocol.
You're right - I'll just take your word for it and assume the hospital warned all those patients just for grins.
“According to a statement from the VA, the dental equipment was sterilized – but it was “not sterilized to the exact specifications of the manufacturers guidelines.”
There’s a big difference between “exposed” and “infected”.
Also, the headline says “with HIV” when the article indicates several alternative diseases that don’t sound so alarming.
More lies to sell ads.
Perhaps dishwashing detergent residue, even a small amount, could inactivate some portion of the cleaning machine’s cycle.
Frankly, if it was “sterilized” as the VA attests it was, then it was cleaned to the point of being “sterilized.”
It’s pretty obvious it was sterilized, but with an extra step of cleaning.
I worked in a VA hospital in my relative youth.
I then served in the military and left with a purple VA card. Remembering what I saw as an employee, I’ve never let them touch me. The place is rife with federal employees with a federal employee dedication to their patients.
There’s a big difference between “exposed” and “infected”.
Also, the headline says “with HIV” when the article indicates several alternative diseases that don’t sound so alarming.
More lies to sell ads.
I do not presume to know why they make such specificaions, and would be interested to know how it is you know better than the manufacturer how their equipment should be handled.
It’ll get better when the government takes over all our healthcare. /sarcasm
“They are now offering free blood tests to screen for HIV as well as hepatitis B and C.”
I smell set-up by way of Alarmist tactics. You know that veterans will want to be screened after hearing they may have been exposed to a life threatening disease.
Of course he is he is a Congressman. Anytime a lying RAT opens his yap to express concern about the military he is up for re-election. And some veterans are dumb enough to vote for him.
We have the stupidest electorate in the world. Only Zimbabwe might be dumber.
The "care" we will all receive very soon. Congress and the Executive Branch of course made sure to legally exempt themselves from the ObamaCare nightmare.
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