STRATHAM, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Health Department is opening its first clinic to test people for hepatitis C after an outbreak at a hospital in the state.
The move comes as a new report cites Exeter Hospital for violations, saying it failed to properly maintain supervision over narcotics.
The report by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says syringes were left unattended by nurses at the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The hospital says it has since changed its policy to place syringes in a secure location, where they will remain when medication is not being administered to patients.
Former hospital technician David Kwiatkowski (kwiht-KOW'-skee) is accused of stealing drugs from Exeter Hospital's cardiac catheterization lab and infecting 31 patients with contaminated syringes.
The testing clinics are being held in Stratham, Plaistow, Rochester and Manchester.
%@AP Links
203-c-12-(Kathy McCormack, AP correspondent)-"of the state"-AP correspondent Kathy McCormack reports people in New Hampshire can go to state clinics for free hepatitis C testing. (10 Aug 2012)
<<CUT *203 (08/10/12)>> 00:12 "of the state"
202-c-15-(Kathy McCormack, AP correspondent)-"for hepatitis C"-AP correspondent Kathy McCormack reports the hepatitis outbreak was at Exeter Hospital in New Hampshire. (10 Aug 2012)
<<CUT *202 (08/10/12)>> 00:15 "for hepatitis C"
201-c-19-(Kathy McCormack, AP correspondent)-"he now has"-AP correspondent Kathy McCormack reports a new report from the state of New Hampshire says Exeter Hospital failed to properly maintain supervision over narcotics, leading to an outbreak of hepatitis C. (10 Aug 2012)
<<CUT *201 (08/10/12)>> 00:19 "he now has"
