After a thorough investigation, we learned today that a licensed radiology technologist at Mayo Clinic in Florida was a possible source of transmission of Hepatitis C infection to three transplant patients. The situation involved transplant patients who underwent invasive procedures in Interventional Radiology while at Mayo Clinic. As of today, this employee is no longer working at Mayo Clinic.
While we believe this is an isolated incident, we are taking it extremely seriously. Mayo Clinic has taken the following actions:
- The technologist was removed from patient care as soon as we became aware he was possibly involved, eliminating further risk to patients.
- The technologist’s employment was terminated today after he admitted taking drugs intended for patients.
- We have worked closely with the Florida Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control during our investigation. Other officials have been notified and will be following the event.
We are proactively contacting patients who may be affected by this former employee’s regrettable actions. Mayo Clinic leadership is continuing a comprehensive review of the situation. The safety and proper care of our patients is our most important concern.
We want to assure patients that we will do everything possible to ensure patient safety.
Click here for more background information on Hepatitis C
Updated 5 p.m. EDT 8/25/2010:
Below is video from this afternoon’s news conference regarding this issue:
Thank you Mayo for being diligent in researching the cause of the source of Hepatitis C. Because of this, Mayo patients should feel more confident about their safety and security at Mayo. It is so very sad, though, that people have suffered because of one individual’s drug addiction. I do hope that Mayo will institute random drug testing for all employees directly involved with patient medications. As a Mayo patient and employee, I am thankful that this has been investigated thoroughly.
Thank you.
As a Mayo transplant patient who has received services in IR, I am sickened that the Mayo administration knew there was a problem for more than 2 years and nothing was said. I really have to wonder about the care and compassion of Mayo administration.
It is disturbing that this happened, yes. But if they don’t know the facts and don’t know the cause, what do they do? Not do transplants for two years? All they had was speculations about how this COULD have happened and no answers until recently. Like one guy said in the Q&A session, most places would have called it quits long before getting to the bottom of it. This whole incident sadly proves that one person can ruin lives and that addiction affects everybody involved, directly or indirectly.
Daniel,
I can understand your feeling’s towards the administration, but they didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle 2 years ago.
This has been devastating for everyone & it goes completely against what we stand for.
I agree with Daniel. Amber, what ‘facts’ didn’t they know? One case is not enough to take action; but two with genetically identical strains?
They could have test every employee who had contact with these two patients in September 08.
They could have called it quits? I don’t think so, for at least their ability to do transplants would have been in jeopardy.
Random drug tests are required for so many occupations, why has the Mayo not chosen to protect the most vulnerable patients.
Daniel, I’m also a transplant patient, not MJ TH, and I cannot imagine how horrible this has been.
I received a notice in the mail yesterday stating that I needed to be tested for hepatitis c because of the actions of a rogue employee at Mayo Clinic. I was/am scared about the possibility especially since I have a complicated disease as it is. The procedure I had done in interventional radiology actually required more pain medication because the initial dose was insufficient; a fact that scares me even more. However, I can find no fault in the actions of Mayo Clinic up to this point. They responded quickly and efficiently once they had sufficient evidence and information and have brought everything to light of their own accord. Mayo Clinic was, unfortunately, unable to treat me but I would feel safe if I ever had to return to their care.
I had a procedure in interventional radiology in 2006, and woke up during my procedure. I asked the nurse why this happened afterwards, and she replied that she didn’t know and that she had given me the maximum amount of medication allowed. Now I learn that it was probably diluted with saline!? Why was this not investigated? I wonder if she even documented it on my chart? This makes my time period of waiting to be tested and finding my results even more stressful as this incident was so alarming to me at the time that I commented to friends and family that I didn’t want to go back. I was a medical professional for over 10 years until being diagnosed with an illness, so I am not someone who doesn’t know what I am talking about. I have also been treated and had interactions with some of the best medical professionals in the U.S. and the world.
Until this incident, I was very impressed with Mayo and went there because I had complete confidence in them.
I realize that no system is foolproof, and I am sure the Mayo feels bad, but try having the shoe on the other foot. I have enough issues to deal with already. I don’t need more.
This is such a tragic situation. I feel awful for the innocent patients whose lives have been destroyed by this man. He has not only created victims out of these patients, but his co-workers as well. Please have compassion for the others that are still employed at The Mayo Clinic, specifically those employed in Interventional Radiology; The employees that remain at The Mayo Clinic Of Jacksonville, Florida are some of the most educated, determined and kindhearted people of the healthcare field. Understand that this horrible circumstance has been created by one employee, and one employee only, Steven Beumel.
I will be praying for all of those who are going thru this tough time.
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I am wondering if drug users/abusers have gotten a bit of confusing information over the years that should be cleared up because I am perplexed as to how someone could be so stupid as to think that placing a clean needle on a contaminated syringe was good technique. Perhaps all the public address messages should be updated to tell drug users not to share any supplies with another user….not just “Do not share NEEDLES”?
My family and I have had a total of 12 operations in Mayo Jacksonville. We feel very confident about the system and I will be having another operation this year at the Jacksonville site. I know I will be well cared for and safe.
Today with narcotics so prevalent in society we all need to watch everyone who is involved in our medical care and report to the authorities anyone whose behavior is suspicious.
We have to be advocates and report things whether we want to or not.
I feel so sorry for the problem this person knowingly caused for the individuals and their family and friends.
Mayo will do what is appropriate for all of us patients. We have to help them as patients and report abnormal behavior we see in any employee.
And, let’s hope the justice system makes the individual accountable for his behavior, drug addict or not.
I too have been affected by this unfortunate incident. I am not a transplant patient.
My trust in Mayo clinic has not faultered I am nervous about my up coming test, but I know Mayo will take good care of me if anything happenes. As a healthcare professional I know to well about the horrific emotional response the 3200+ patients are feeling. All we can do is hope and prayer
I have to disagree with Daniel. My husband is a recent transplant patient who had contact with this nurse. Mayo is doing everything in their power to ensure that they test each and every patient that came into contact with this nurse. Would your local hospital do that? No employer, whether you have 2 employees, or 200, can watch each and every move that an employee makes throughout their day. You cannot randomly test nurses, doctors, etc. for every disease known to man as that could potentially be a violation of their civil rights. When dealing with a situation such as this, you have to step easily until you can prove, without a doubt, what is really going on. I admire Mayo for not even attempting to sweep this under the rug, but to come forth, not only to the press, but to each and every patient that came into contact with this nurse. I don’t put any blame on Mayo itself, I blame the nurse. If he had a problem with drugs and he knew he had Hep C, he should have come forth himself. But then again, that’s a typical drug user they will take all steps possible to hide their addition at all costs.