Close to 1,200 patients who underwent surgery between April 1 and September 30 at Indiana's Goshen Hospital may have been exposed to infectious diseases, according to an article on the WSTB website.
One of the hospital's surgical instrument sterilization technicians failed to complete a necessary step, meaning patients could have been exposed to hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, and human immunodeficiency (HIV) virus, health officials said.
The surgical instruments in question were still treated with other usual chemical disinfection and machine sterilization processes which include a wide margin of safety.
But the hospital can't determine if such instruments were completely sterile prior to use.
Going Solar with No Upfront Costs
Northwell Health Finds Energy Savings in Steam Systems
Endeavor Elmhurst Hospital Opens New 16-Bed Patient Observation Unit
Sustainability as a Baseline in Healthcare Facilities
Penobscot Valley Hospital Reports Data Security Incident