Portland, Oregon (coin) — after a serious health outbreak affecting thousands of patients in Oregon. The Oregon Health Authority announced this last week.One man came forward saying he was notified that he may have been infected and was concerned about his and his family’s health.
This was announced by OHA Doctors at three local hospitals put patients at risk If you don’t follow the correct procedures, you could be exposed to infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
“I went to the hospital to get some normal precautions and they came back saying I might have an infection,” said the man, who spoke to KOIN 6 News on the condition of anonymity due to health concerns.
The man went in for a minor procedure, but said his anxiety and questions only grew after Legacy Health sent him two letters about the procedure on May 15.
A former Legacy patient shared a letter from the hospital that appeared to convey the exact opposite message: On June 3, the hospital notified him that infection control practices may have been broken during surgery but insisted that “this issue does not affect your health.”
Then on July 10, he received a second letter from the hospital stating that his actions may have put him at risk of infection.
“I don’t understand how they initially told us there was no risk and then a month and a half later they tell us there is,” the man told KOIN 6. “As patients affected by this, we need to know what’s going on.”
He is one of more than 2,400 Oregon patients who have been notified that they may have been exposed to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. OHA says this occurred after an unnamed doctor involved in a procedure requiring intravenous anesthesia at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center and Legacy Health Mount Hood failed to properly follow protocols. He was fired from Oregon Anesthesiology Group after working at both facilities from 2017 to 2024.
“I’m worried about my health and, of course, the health of my family members who may have now been infected. I’m worried that they may have known about this since the end of May or early June,” the man said.
KOIN 6 News reached out to Legacy Health for an explanation for the discrepancy, and the company said they had nothing to add beyond their initial comments from last week. KOIN 6 reached out to OHA and Providence, which received similar responses.
