An anesthesiologist contracted with Oregon Anesthesiology Group violated infection control practices at Portland-area hospitals, prompting notifications to more than 2,000 patients.
“We recently learned that Providence’s comprehensive infection control practices may not have been followed by a physician during some procedures at Portland-area hospitals, including Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Providence Portland Medical Center and other non-Providence hospitals,” a Providence spokesperson said in a statement on July 11.
Providence said the physician was employed by Oregon Anesthesiology Group, which no longer provides services for Providence.
Legacy said the doctor also treated 221 patients at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center between December 2023 and June 2024.
“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,” Legacy said in a statement, describing the ordeal as “an isolated situation involving a single provider.”
Neither OAG, Legacy, nor Providence named the anesthesiologist.
“The safety of our patients is our top priority. When we learned that the physician had violated infection control practices, we suspended him, informed our partners Legacy Health and Providence, and then began an investigation that resulted in the physician’s termination,” OAG said in a statement. “Even though the risk of infection was low, new protocols and procedures have been put in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
Providence said it was notifying roughly 2,200 patients seen at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City and two patients seen at Providence Portland Medical Center, all via mail or a notification on MyChart, an online medical messaging and records platform. The anesthesiologist saw patients at the two Providence hospitals from 2017 to 2023.
Providence said the anesthesiologist’s actions “might have put patients at a low risk of exposure to possible infections, including hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).”
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are encouraging these patients to get a blood test to screen for the aforementioned infections at no cost,” Providence said in a statement. “If a patient tests positive, Providence will reach out to discuss their test results and next steps.”
Legacy said they would similarly cover tests for patients but declined to answer any other questions.
Updated July 12 with additional response from Legacy, after the company initially declined to answer any questions.
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