By Dan Cassuto - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | (608) 661 2727
MADISON (WKOW) -- Vincent Stepter got a very frightening phone call on Thursday morning.
He says an infectious disease specialist from UW Hospital called to say he needs to get tested for HIV and Hepatitis after a syringe was used on at least one other patient.
"I've been crying all morning, ever since I heard this," Stepter told 27 News in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
Stepter underwent rotator cuff surgery on July 26.
The hospital notified him of the possible contamination on August 5.
"To think I could be contracting these diseases because of a mistake they made," he said. "It's outrageous...I'm mad... hostile."
The operation lasted several hours and he was released from the hospital by lunchtime.
The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta called on hospitals to be more careful.
According to CDC data, hospital mistakes and dirty or contaminated medical equipment exposed more than 60,000 patients to Hepatitis since 2000.
Patients should not be afraid to ask detailed and thorough questions before any hospital procedure.
Ask your doctor what their sterilization practices are and whether the hospital uses a syringe only once.
UW Hospital released this statement on Thursday:
Statement from UW Hospital and Clinics
The University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics is investigating a reported patient care incident involving administration of a medication. UW Hospital uses a "needle-less" procedure where medication goes in through an IV tube, not directly into the skin.
UW Hospital has in place an aggressive patient safety program that quickly allows staff to identify any potential concerns and is part of an overall proactive approach to quality patient care. Through this system, staff identified a potential patient issue, began an investigation and contacted the patient. The hospital is accredited by The Joint Commission in all areas including patient safety, and has in place robust and extensive patient safety programs and protocols.
UW Hospital and Clinics places the highest priority on patient safety as well as quality of care and is fully investigating this reported incident.
