Fox 8

New Orleans hospital admits dropping ball in fungal outbreak communication

Deadly fungus on hospital linens killed five patients between 2008 and 2009 at the medical facility


Children's Hospital in New Orleans has apologized for its handling of information about a deadly fungus that killed five patients between 2008 and 2009 at the medical facility, according to an article on the WLOX website.

Five children died of an invasive fungal infection — mucormycosis — that contaminated hospital linens.

Hospital executives said mistakes were made in disseminating information about the fungus to the families of the children who died.

"Regrettably, it's become clear that we did not, although I think we made an extraordinary effort to contain and identify the source of this infection, we did not make an extraordinary effort to communicate with our families and disclose the nature of this illness," John Heaton, associate medical director for Children's, said in the article.

Some lawsuits have been filed as a result of the deaths. The parents of 13-year-old Zachary Tyler are suing the hospital and the linen cleaning company, TLC Service, Inc.

Read the article.

 

 



April 28, 2014


Topic Area: Environmental Services


Recent Posts

Grounding Healthcare Spaces in Hospitality Principles

Thoughtful design can establish the calm of a spa and the restorative feeling of a resort in healthcare spaces, bringing benefits for patients and care providers.


UC Davis Health Selects Rudolph and Sletten for Central Utility Plant Expansion

Work is already underway with substantial completion anticipated in the fall of 2027.


Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Upper 2 Floors of Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion

The first two floors opened for patients in May 2025 and house the Davenport-Mugar Cancer Center.


Building Sustainable Healthcare for an Aging Population

Traditional responses — building more primary and secondary care facilities — are no longer sustainable.


Froedtert ThedaCare Announces Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh

The organization broke ground on the health campus in March 2024.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.