After Hepatitis Case, State Acts to Speed Alerts to Patients at Risk

November 30, 2007

CSC 11-19-07

NEW YORK: " After Hepatitis Case, State Acts to Speed Alerts to Patients at

Risk "

New York Times (11.29.07):: Kershaw

On Wednesday, state Health Commissioner Dr. F. Daines proposed a series

of changes to better coordinate Health Department investigations into

questionable medical practices by physicians. Daines said he was prompted by the

department's nearly three-year delay in informing 628 patients of a Long Island

doctor that his poor infection-control practices could have exposed them to

hepatitis and HIV.

It took the Health Department 34 months to tell the patients of Dr. Harvey S.

Finkelstein, an anesthesiologist who was found to have injected patients with

medicine from contaminated multidose vials, that they should be tested for

hepatitis B and C and HIV. At least one transmission of hepatitis C has been

linked to the doctor's faulty injection technique, and Nassau County health

investigators are looking into whether a case of hepatitis B may have resulted

as well.

Daines said he was creating a task force that would report to him monthly about

all open investigations into doctors' practices. These would include reports

from various divisions of the department that had not previously coordinated

their efforts.

In addition, the department may become more aggressive about obtaining doctors'

medical records. An issue in the Finkelstein case is how long it took the doctor

to give his records to state health officials after being asked to do so

voluntarily. Daines said he would consider subpoenas if necessary.

Daines also wants to coordinate the work of officials who investigate the

professional conduct of doctors, public health scares and medical malpractice

suits. In Finkelstein's case, one part of the department was looking into how

the hepatitis C transmission occurred, but months went by before the Office of

Professional Medical Conduct took up the case in response to a patient's

complaint.

_________________________________________________________________

You keep typing, we keep giving. Download Messenger and join the i’m Initiative

now.

Recommended Posts