About 2,900 Swiss Medical Center Patients Urged to get Tested for Hepatitis, HIV After Possible Exposure

Patients who have undergone surgery at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado during the last six months are being highly encouraged to get tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. This comes after the hospital's ongoing investigation on a former employee who may have stolen narcotic pain medication for patients.

CNN reports that the medical center did not disclose how the former employee could have exposed the patients to HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C viruses, but are encouraging those who had surgery from August 17, 2015 to January 22, 2016 to get tested immediately. According to Swedish Medical Center spokesperson Nicole Williams, the hospital does not have any evidence of patient exposure to such viruses, but wants to be cautious nonetheless.

"We deeply regret that one of our former employees may have put patients at risk, and are sorry for any uncertainty or anxiety this may cause," Swedish Medical Center president and CEO Richard A. Hammett said in a statement. "Please know our first concern is the health, care, safety and privacy of our patients and we are working diligently to look after the well-being of the patients who may have been affected by the wrongful actions of this individual."

According to CBS Local, the former employee in question is a surgical technician who at the moment remains unnamed. No criminal charges have been filed, but are possible once the investigation reaches its fruition. Swedish Medical Center's statement reads that they are currently getting in touch with 2,900 patients who had surgery at the hospital between August 2015 and January 2016, to notify them of the potential of exposure. They are encouraged to take the free, confidential blood test in order to screen for HIV, hepatitis B, and/or hepatitis C.

"We appreciate the cooperation we have received as we work through our investigative process," Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Dr. Larry Wolk said. "We join Swedish Medical Center in prioritizing patient safety as we work collaboratively through this situation."

According to the N.Y. Daily News, a similar case occurred at Denver’s Rose Medical Center and Colorado Springs’ Audubon Surgery Center, where a former employee was convicted of infecting 36 people with the liver disease hepatitis C, after injecting herself with surgical drugs and later replacing them with saline for reuse.

The CDC estimates that there were about 29,718 cases of acute hepatitis C in the United States alone back in 2013. About 3.5 million Americans are currently living with hepatitis C, which is commonly spread through sharing of infected needles, syringes, and other equipment used to inject drugs, and needlestick injuries in healthcare facilities.