Tulsa County Dentist May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients To HIV, Hepatitis

[patric]

I suspect the impact is a very small percentage.  Don't get me wrong, there's no excusing the behavior, but no reason to believe everyone of his patients got blood-borne pathogens which is what the sensational headlines suggest.

What percentage would you call acceptable?
This only came to light after someone already tested positive.

[Red Arrow]

What percentage would you call acceptable?

Even with proper precautions, which this guy obviously did not observe, the percentage will be greater than 0.0%  (0r however many decimal places you want.)  That leaves us all with a decision on what percentage greater than 0.0% is acceptable.   I don't have a personal number in mind.  It would probably, unfortunately, depend on whether or not "you" know anyone involved.

[patric]

Even with proper precautions, which this guy obviously did not observe, the percentage will be greater than 0.0%  (0r however many decimal places you want.)  That leaves us all with a decision on what percentage greater than 0.0% is acceptable.   I don't have a personal number in mind.  It would probably, unfortunately, depend on whether or not "you" know anyone involved.

I do know of at least one co-worker, and I can only imagine a two-week wait for test results might seem like an eternity for her.

[guido911]

I remember my first needle stick working in the ER 20 years ago--when HIV was far more terrifying than it is today.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I do know of at least one co-worker, and I can only imagine a two-week wait for test results might seem like an eternity for her.

Gonna make a sweeping statement here for all the people on this topic - give your co-worker our condolences that she is having to go through this and hope it works out well for her!!


And all the rest of the 7,000!

[Conan71]

What percentage would you call acceptable?
This only came to light after someone already tested positive.

None is acceptable.

The media making it sound as if 7,000 people have contracted Hep B & C as well as HIV is despicable.

[patric]

The media making it sound as if 7,000 people have contracted Hep B & C as well as HIV is despicable.

Ive not seen anyone make that statement. 
What I have seen are statements to the effect that there are around 7,000 people who may have been exposed, and should get tested, and that came from the horse's mouth:

http://www.tulsa-health.org/sites/default/files/page_attachments/Dental%20HAI%20patient%20notification%20Letter_%20032713_kkb%20approved_ph%20edit.pdf

[Hoss]

None is acceptable.

The media making it sound as if 7,000 people have contracted Hep B & C as well as HIV is despicable.

If that's what you're taking away from the media reports, then your comprehension may be suffering in your old age.   

[Conan71]

The sensational headlines are out there:

Dr. Wayne Scott Harrington May Have Left 7,000 Patients Exposed to Deadly Bloodborne Pathogens, HIV
Read more at http://americanlivewire.com/dr-wayne-scott-harrington/

W. Scott Harrington, Oklahoma Dentist, May Have Exposed 7,000 Patients To HIV Or Hepatitis- HuffPo

Dr. Scott Harrington, accused of exposing patients to HIV and Hepatitis, tracked to home in Arizona

Read more: http://www.kjrh.com/gallery/news/news_photo_gallery/dr-scott-harrington-accused-of-exposing-patients-to-hiv-and-hepatitis-tracked-to-home-in-arizona#ixzz2PFEH3V8p

I saw on FB this morning someone who used to post here every now and then was waiting in line at the TCHD.  Major kudos to the Health Department and dental board for stepping up and putting this to an end as well as getting testing for these people as quick as possible.

[Hoss]

The sensational headlines are out there:

I saw on FB this morning someone who used to post here every now and then was waiting in line at the TCHD.  Major kudos to the Health Department and dental board for stepping up and putting this to an end as well as getting testing for these people as quick as possible.

I don't claim that they aren't.  I just don't like trivializing it when I have two in my extended family I know of affected by this, plus a third who is a friend.

This isn't quite the same, but I was in that batch of people in 1989 or 1990 who found out they had a bad batch of measles shots from their youth.  I had to go back and take them again.  I thought tetanus shots were painful until I got this again.

They need to throw the book at this guy.

[Conan71]

I don't claim that they aren't.  I just don't like trivializing it when I have two in my extended family I know of affected by this, plus a third who is a friend.

This isn't quite the same, but I was in that batch of people in 1989 or 1990 who found out they had a bad batch of measles shots from their youth.  I had to go back and take them again.  I thought tetanus shots were painful until I got this again.

They need to throw the book at this guy.

I'm not trivializing it at all.  I'm simply making the point the media is needlessly scaring the smile out of people by being a little loose with the facts.  But that's how they make money by getting the largest number of people to watch.

[patric]

I'm not trivializing it at all.  I'm simply making the point the media is needlessly scaring the smile out of people by being a little loose with the facts.  But that's how they make money by getting the largest number of people to watch.

OK, lets see how you would have written the story.

[guido911]

OK, lets see how you would have written the story.

I'll give it a whirl: "Recently, jackbooted government thugs wearing SS uniforms stormed into a health care providers' office..." Sound good to you so far?

I see the story has gone fairly national now. I am interested in who is defending this dentist in the licensing action. I did lots of that kind of work in the past.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I'll give it a whirl: "Recently, jackbooted government thugs wearing SS uniforms stormed into a health care providers' office..." Sound good to you so far?

I see the story has gone fairly national now. I am interested in who is defending this dentist in the licensing action. I did lots of that kind of work in the past.

Interesting....
How does one defend the indefensible?

[Conan71]

Interesting....
How does one defend the indefensible?

Check your copy of the Constitution, everyone is entitled to a proper defense.  Even when they are a completely indifferent a-hole.