PORTLAND, Oregon.KOIN) — After a major health scare affected thousands of patients in Oregon, announced by the Oregon Health Authority last weekOne man has come forward saying he fears for his health and that of his family after learning he may have been infected.
All this comes after OHA Doctor at three local hospitals puts patients at risk of infections such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C, after proper protocols were not followed.
“I went in for a normal preventive procedure and when I came out I said I might be infected,” said the man, who agreed to speak to KOIN 6 News on condition of anonymity due to possible health concerns.
The man said he came in for a simple procedure but was left with increasing anxiety and questions after Legacy Health sent him two letters about the procedure on May 15.
The former Legacy patient shared letters from the hospital that seemed to have the opposite message. On June 3, they informed him of a possible breach in infection control practices during his procedure, while claiming, “this issue does not affect your health.”
On July 10, he received a second letter from the hospital, which stated, “It is possible that you may have been exposed to infection as a result of this action.”
“I don’t understand how I was first told that there was no danger to me, and now, a month and a half later, that there is,” the man told KOIN 6. “We, the patients who are affected by this, need to know what is going on.”
He is just one of more than 2,400 patients in Oregon who are now being notified that they may have been exposed to hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV. OHA said the move came after an unnamed physician was involved in procedures requiring intravenous anesthesia at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center and Legacy Health Mt. Hood and failed to properly follow protocols. He has since been fired from Oregon Anesthesiology Group after working at the two locations from 2017 to 2024.
“I’m afraid for my health. Obviously I’m afraid for the health of my family, who may now be exposed. And I’m worried that they’ve known about this since late May, early June,” the man said.
KOIN 6 News reached out to Legacy Health for clarification on the discrepancy. They said they had nothing more to say beyond their initial comment last week. OHA and Providence had similar responses when KOIN 6 reached out to them as well.