Florida Mayo Clinic Healthcare Worker Indicted for Hepatitis Spread
Five patients injured by a former Mayo Clinic radiology technician are the basis of indictments by a federal grand jury that could put the healthcare worker in prison for life for medical malpractice.
A 48-year-old man from Orange Park is facing five counts of tampering with a consumer product, five counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Five patients contracted Hepatitis C and one has died. The man is infected with the liver disease.
The Florida Times Union reports the man worked at the Mayo Clinic from October 2004 through last August where he used a patient’s painkillers, Fentanyl, on himself, then refilled the syringe with saline. In doing so he spread his Hepatitis C even though he used a new syringe. His lawyer says the man had no idea he was Hepatitis C positive.
Mayo Clinic has tested 3,500 patients who had radiology work done and found two more positive for the disease that may be related to the man's. Mayo says it has tightened its pre-employments checks and its narcotic drug security procedures.
This story highlights the fact that even with a reputable facility such as the Mayo Clinic, medical errors can occur. The Hearst Corporation in a 2010 investigation “Dead by Mistake” found about 200,000 people die every year from preventable medical errors, hospital infections, and prescription errors.
While most hospitals and doctors are competent and ethical, it only takes one bad practitioner to cause a fatal outcome.
The Florida medical malpractice lawyers at Farah & Farah are available to investigate your medical error to determine who is liable for the costs associated with your injury, illness, or related suffering. Call us at 1-800-533-3555 for an honest assessment of your case. Remember, there is time limit within which to file a medical malpractice claim, so call as soon as possible.
