DVA says ‘sorry’ to 1,812 potential AIDs victims
“Sorry” – that’s the letter 1,812 veterans who were treated at a St. Louis medical facility got from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs;
The letters say the risk of infection is low but offer free blood testing to screen for the hepatitis B virus, the hepatitis C virus and for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection.
The VA letter said that dental equipment “may not have been cleaned correctly.”
“We deeply regret that this situation occurred and we assure you that we are taking all the necessary steps to make certain that testing is offered quickly and results communicated timely,” the letter reads.
Isn’t that sweet? “The risk of infection is low” but high enough to notify 1812 potential victims. How do you not clean dental equipment correctly? Half of a hospital’s staff only job is to clean stuff correctly. How do you not clean stuff incorrectly for 13-months and then suddenly decide you’ve been doing it wrong all this time?
It reminds of the countless letters I’ve gotten from the VA telling me that my identity has been compromised because one of their bone head employees lost their computer – they always “deeply regret” that they can’t unring the bell. Why can’t they deeply regret it before they do it, for Pete’s sake?
Category: Veteran Health Care
According to another story I read, they were handwashing the dental instruments to prevent damage, whereas they should not have washed them and should have been putting them in the sterilizing equipment.
If what Sparky is saying is true, it is unconscionable, and the clinic should be shut down and restaffed.
However, speaking as a dentist, I can safely state that the chances of contracting AIDS is practically nil from this incident. I would, however, be more concerned about HepC, it being a bit more robust virus. The reason I can say that is that in the decade or so between the emergence of the AIDS virus and universal sterilization standards starting in the 80s, there was never a recorded example of the AIDS virus being transmitted from one patient to another. (In fact, ANY transmission of pathogens from patient to patient was extremely rare before things went crazy, but that’s another story)
Once again the media has taken a story and blown it completely out of proportion.
For those who want socialized medicine: Enjoy your AIDS.
The way I see it… And I have no dog in THIS hunt.
AIDS may be an issue here, but the hepatitis element can NOT be underestimated.
On the other hand, Bureaucracy in action is the norm for the VA.
On the OTHER other hand… this IS what we have to look forward to. Let me count the ways?
Precursor to single-payer mandatory government sponsored ObamaKare.
May almost everyone in Government get AIDS and die from it.
These are the same people also involved in not sterilizing colonoscopy equipment along with two in Tennessee and I forget where else.
“What should we do with this scope after we stick it up someone’s ass”?
“I dunno…put it over here for the next patient”.
I respect what the dentist said above but to not sterilize any equipment after being exposed to bodily fluids is criminal neglect. This is another reason I’ve maintained my Federal Blue Cross/Blue Shield after retirement even though I’m rated 100% total and permanent. That and the butcher job they did on me on a second hip replacement of the same hip, that didn’t need replaced. Records of the butcher job mysteriously disappeared. Funny how this was major news during the Bush Admin, but not being played up near as much by the media now. Wonder why? I also wonder who’s blood I got during the operation even though I donated my own before. Fat chance I got my own back.
[…] friend Jonn at This Ain’t Hell had this to say: Isn’t that sweet? “The risk of infection is low” but high enough to notify […]