Legal Action Against Exeter Hospital in Hepatitis C Case Delayed Until Next Year

Further legal action in 25 civil lawsuits involving Exeter (N.H.) Hospital and a hepatitis C outbreak will be delayed until next year, according to a Seacoast Online report.

 



Exeter Hospital attorneys filed a motion to delay the discovery process in the civil cases until next year in order to consolidate the cases for efficiency.  A Rockingham Superior Court judge granted that motion.

In late May, Exeter Hospital reported a possible hepatitis C outbreak related to its cardiac catheterization lab. Further inquiry tied the outbreak to traveling technician David Kwiatkowski, who allegedly injected himself with the anesthetic fentanyl and refilled the syringes with saline before administering the injections to patients. He currently faces drug tampering charges, and dozens of patients tested positive for hepatitis C.

While action in these lawsuits will be halted until next year, Exeter Hospital will appear in Merrimack Superior Court to exchange arguments on a separate matter involving state access to patient medical records.

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