Two Portland-area hospital organizations announced Thursday afternoon that a doctor involved in about 2,400 surgeries and other procedures may have exposed patients to infections including HIV and hepatitis B and C.
Providence Health & Services and Legacy Health have sent out press releases stating that a physician or member of the Oregon Anesthesiology Group may have violated infection control practices.
Providence provided the most details in a written statement, saying the doctor may have placed patients at “low risk of exposure to potential infections.” Legacy Health called the person a “provider.” Oregon Health Authority officials said the doctor was involved in surgeries and other procedures that required intravenous anesthesia, but did not provide details about what happened.
State health officials said they are not aware of anyone who has contracted an infection.
Both hospital organizations said they are sending letters to patients who may have been affected, including about 2,200 patients at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City, two patients at Providence Portland Medical Center in Northeast Portland and 221 patients at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Gresham.
Providence said the doctor treated patients from 2017 to November 2023. A statement from Legacy Health said the person treated patients for six months, starting in December 2023. That would mean patients may have been infected through May.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage these patients to have a blood test to screen for the infections previously mentioned, at no cost,” Providence officials said in a news release. “If a patient tests positive, Providence will contact you to discuss the test results and next steps.”
Both hospital organizations reported that the individual believed responsible for the infection control violations is no longer employed by Oregon Anesthesiology Group and no longer treats patients at their facilities.
Scott Gallagher, a spokesman for the group, said the doctor is no longer with the organization.
“The safety of our patients is our top priority,” Gallagher said in a written statement. “When we learned the physician had violated infection control practices, we suspended him, notified our partners Legacy Health and Providence, and initiated an investigation that resulted in the physician’s termination. While the risk of infection was low, new protocols and procedures have been put in place to help prevent similar incidents in the future.”
Gallagher and the hospital chains declined to answer further questions. The Oregon Medical Board and the Oregon Medical Association did not immediately respond to requests for more information. The doctor’s name has not been released.
Providence last year severed ties with Oregon Anesthesiology Group after 33 years of contracts with the physician-owned practice. The move came after Providence said a shortage of anesthesiologists was leading to canceled or postponed surgeries.
However, the move to a new group, Sound Physicians, based in Washington State, led to additional surgical delays because Sound Physicians could not hire anesthesiologists quickly enough. After losing the contract with Providence, Oregon Anesthesiology Group was hired by Legacy.
In a statement Thursday, the Oregon Health Authority said it is working with Willamette Falls and Mount Hood medical centers to investigate deficiencies in infection control practices, and that it is not currently investigating whether the hospitals met state and federal licensing and certification requirements. The statement did not address Providence Portland Medical Center, where two patients may have been exposed.
“Oregon Health Authority recognizes the concern, pain and loss experienced by everyone affected by a healthcare-associated infection (HAI),” the agency said in a statement, adding that one in 31 U.S. patients experiences such infections on any given day.
The statement continued: “HAIs can have devastating consequences for patients as they can prolong length of stay, delay recovery from illness, cause emotional distress, and lead to sepsis or even death.”
— Aimee Green writes about breaking news and the justice system. Reach her at 503-294-5119, [email protected] or @o_aimee.
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