Nearly 300 patients who had colonoscopies at Baystate Noble Hospital in Westfield, Massachusetts, may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis because of a lack of adequate disinfection measures used to clean endoscopes, the January 23 Tech Times reports.
The hospital started using new equipment that required a different method for endoscope cleaning, but because of lack of training, inadequate disinfection practices were performed. Specifically, the water irrigation port was not sufficiently exposed to high-level disinfection.
The hospital was not aware of the problem until after a Massachusetts Department of Public Health site visit. The hospital sent out notification letters to all affected patients on January 20.
Source: OR Manager
