More Veterans May Have Been Exposed to HIV After VA Hospital Error
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Medical record errors are being blamed for 12 Florida veterans not being notified that they may have been exposed to HIV after getting colonoscopies at the Miami VA hospital, the Miami Herald reported.
The Veterans Administration said the vets are at risk because the procedures – dating as far back as 2004 – were done with improperly cleaned equipment. The error, which officials say is due to the way the VA hospital keeps its medical records, was discovered when the Miami U.S. Attorney’s Office asked the hospital to recheck its records, according to the report.
In March 2009, more than 2,400 Florida veterans were notified the colonoscopies they underwent in previous years may have been done with equipment that was not properly sterilized. VA hospitals in Georgia and Tennessee also reported similar issues. In those cases, more than 11,000 veterans were involved.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 12 Florida veterans starting getting notifications on Tuesday.