Hepatitis C Timeline Means More Patients Need Testing
By Marshall Zelingerm.zelinger@krdo.comFollow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com.mzelinger
COLORADO SPRINGS – The surgical technician accused of exposing thousands to Hepatitis C will remain in jail. A federal judge denied Kristen Parker the chance to get out of custody. Parker worked at Audubon Surgery Center in Colorado Springs and Rose Medical Center in Denver. She’s suspected of swapping needles filled with the liquid pain medication Fentanyl, with her own used needles she filled with saline.
Parker worked at Audubon from May 4 until June 23. As NEWSCHANNEL 13 uncovered Wednesday, The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) suspected Parker of swapping needles on June 22. She went to work in an operating room the next day even though CDPHE asked her not to work. Audubon Surgery Center wasn’t briefed on the Parker investigation until July 1, which is why patients who had surgery from June 24 – July 1 also need to get an Hepatitis C blood test.
“We want to eliminate all doubt and make sure that we are as cautious and conservative as possible in making sure everyone gets tested,” said Audubon Surgery Center spokesperson Amy Triandiflou. “The details that we currently have are in regards to Rose Medical Center, and we understand a similar practice may have happened here. That is the information that we have at this time. We do not have any specifics in regards to what she did here.”
Once Audubon personnel found out about the investigation, the Surgery Center conducted a type of drug house-cleaning.
“At that time we eliminated any open multi-use vials,” said Triandiflou.
An Audubon patient who didn’t want to be identified tells NEWSCHANNEL 13 he went to Audubon this week to ask questions, and a nurse told him patients from June 24 to July 1 need to be tested because of the concern over drugs Parker may have had access to.
“They said it would take that long to basically go through the supplies, account for all of the supplies,” said the Audubon patient.
The patient says he was told Parker worked on the day of his surgery in May. He was also given Fentanyl during surgery.
“The biggest thing is my kids, my wife, I don’t want them to suffer from me having just a basic knee surgery,” said the patient. “Am I going to be clear for life? Is this something that I’m going to live with? Nobody can definitely tell me that if I’m clear, I’m clear and I’m healthy. Nobody will say that it’s not something that’s going to pop up in a couple of years.”
As a result of Parker’s positive Fentanyl test in April in Denver, Rose Medical Center changed its drug dispensing policies.
According to a Rose Medical Center report:
“We will certainly make changes if changes need to be made, we’re always reviewing our policies and procedures,” said Triandiflou.
