Two Arizona Hospitals Send Letters to Patients who may be at Risk for Hepatitis B & C or HIV

Published on March 10, 2016

News just came in that an Arizona hospital exposes diseases to various patients. What diseases are we talking about? Patients who had surgery at John C. Lincoln Medical Center or Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in 2014 are receiving a letter that they may have been exposed to Hepatitis B & C or HIV. A former surgical technician, Robert “Rocky” Allen is the employee who put patients at risk, not only at two hospitals in Phoenix, Arizona, but also nearly 3,000 surgical patients at Swedish Medical Center in Colorado who had surgery between August 17, 2015 and January 22, 2016.

Allen worked at John C. Lincoln Medical Center for less than two months, from July 28, 2014 to September 26, 2014. He was terminated for violation of workplace policy when he tested positive for use of a controlled substance. John C. Lincoln has identified 97 patients who were in surgery during which Allen served as a technician, and although they believe the likelihood patients were exposed is “extremely low,” they will be contacting patients via phone and certified mail with instructions about testing. John C. Lincoln Medical Center released a statement that also said they will be conducting a “comprehensive review of [our] policies and procedures related to controlled substances.”

Banner Thunderbird Medical Center has not released the dates that Allen worked at their hospital, but they have began sending letters to patients with details for free testing to those who were treated during the time Allen worked.

Two patients in Colorado have already tested positive for hepatitis B, but many more are still being tested. According to Colorado state regulatory records, Allen’s surgical technologist license was suspended January 29, 2016 after authorities found evidence he was stealing a syringe containing a powerful narcotic called Fentanyl from the surgery room and using it.

If you have received a letter about how an Arizona hospital exposes diseases including Hepatitis B &C or HIV, specifically from John C. Lincoln Medical Center or Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, contact Knapp & Roberts Law Firm immediately. Our expert medical malpractice attorneys in Phoenix will guide you through this difficult time and look out for your best interest every step of the way. Call us today at 480-991-7677.