Goshen (Ind.) Hospital is notifying 1,182 surgical patients of a potential exposure to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV due to inadequate sterilization practices, reports CBS affiliate WSBT.
Hospital leaders recently discovered a technician was skipping a necessary step in the sterilization process. The affected surgical tools were still treated with chemical disinfectant and run through a machine sterilization process, but may not have been completely sterile before use, Goshen Health said in a statement cited by WSBT.
Patients who underwent surgery between April 1 and Sept. 20 were potentially exposed to infectious diseases, although Goshen Health says the risk is low. The hospital immediately corrected the issue and is offering free disease testing to patients.
"As with any patient safety concern, we rigorously investigated all aspects around the incident," Daniel Nafziger, MD, CMO of Goshen Hospital, said in the statement. "We have put strict policies and additional safety measures in place to ensure it does not happen again."
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