More than 2,400 Oregon hospital patients may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and C

More than 2,400 patients at Oregon hospitals may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis B and C due to a physician's inadequate infection control practices, officials said.

The physician, who was employed by Oregon Anesthesiology Group, worked at two facilities owned by Providence between 2017 and 2023 and at one owned by Legacy Health for six months starting in December.

Providence said in a statement Thursday it was notifying 2,200 patients seen at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center and two seen at Providence Portland Medical Center who may have been put at a low risk of infection due to the physician's actions.

The potentially impacted patients will either receive a letter in the mail or a MyChart notification with further information. And in an "abundance of caution," Providence is encouraging them to get a blood test to screen for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C at no cost. The provider said it would reach out to patients who get a positive test to discuss the results and "next steps."

"Patient safety is our number one priority, and our patients have our full commitment to a thorough review of this issue and appropriate action," Providence said.

RELATED STORY | CDC confirms HIV infections linked to 'vampire facials'

In a statement to Scripps News, Legacy Health said it was in the process of sending letters to 221 patients of its Portland-area Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center who were treated during the period in which the physician worked there.

The provider said this was an "isolated situation involving a single provider."

"The safety of our patients is our highest priority," Legacy Health said. "Upon learning of this situation, we immediately suspended the provider and launched a comprehensive investigation in accordance with regulations and with our policies and procedures."

Oregon Anesthesiology Group said in a statement to the Associated Press that it suspended the physician upon learning he had violated infection control practices. It then notified Legacy Health and Providence and began an investigation that ended with his termination.

"Even though the risk of infection was low, new protocols and procedures have been put in place to prevent similar incidents in the future," the statement read.

The Oregon Health Authority said an investigation revealed the physician's "unacceptable infection control practices" put patients at risk of infections through his delivery of intravenous anesthesia. So far, neither the OHA nor the hospitals have been notified of any illnesses associated with the infection control breach.