Mass. hospital says nearly 450 patients potentially exposed to HIV, hepatitis

Salem Hospital in Massachusetts says hundreds of patients were potentially exposed to infection of HIV and hepatitis due to the administration of intravenous medication in a manner that was not consistent with its best practice.A spokesperson for Mass General Brigham, which owns Salem Hospital, said nearly 450 patients were impacted over a period of roughly two years.In a statement released Wednesday, the hospital said it was made aware of the isolated practice involving endoscopy patients earlier this year. The hospital said the practice was immediately corrected once it was notified and that the hospital’s quality and infection control teams were notified.According to Salem Hospital, the infection risk to patients from this event is extremely small after a comprehensive review that included feedback from officials at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.The hospital said there is no evidence to date of any infections resulting from the incident, but that it is currently testing for HIV, Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B.”The safety of our patients is our highest priority, and we have undertaken multiple corrective actions in response to this event,” the hospital’s statement reads. “We sincerely apologize to those who have been impacted, and we remain committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate health care to our community.”Salem Hospital said it has notified all potentially impacted patients, set up a clinician-staffed hotline to answer questions and that the facility is providing them with free screening and any necessary support. The Mass General Brigham spokesperson said patients who have not been notified have no need to be concerned.