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Article Date: 11/24/2007

Heightened Concerns About Disease Transmission After Hepatitis Scare
Emphasis has been placed on the importance for health care professionals to being exact when it comes to their procedure and practice over recent incidents. One such incidence occurred at the practices of Dr. Harvey Finkelstein, a Nassau County anesthesiologist, was linked to the reuse of a syringe and contamination of multi-dose vials, which was thought to have caused the infection of Hepatitis C with at least one of his patients. State officials have notified hundreds of Finkelstein's patients that they could be at risk for infectious diseases.

When dealing with blood, there is always the chance for the transmission of diseases if the instruments are not sterile. However, there are some questions that patients can ask to help reduce the risk of such a transmission - such as asking whether doctors or nurses washed their hands before injecting medications, whether all medical staff members are wearing protective gloves, or in the case of getting an injection, asking the health-care professional if they used needles and syringes only once. Patients can also ask whether the medication being drawn is from a single-dose vial or multi-dose vials. Single-dose vials reduce the risk of blood-borne disease transmission, while multi-dose vials can become a transmission source to patients who subsequently receive injections. In the case of multi-dose vials, patients should watch for the use of germ-killing alcohol to swab a vial's rubber top before a needle is placed inside the vial. Some physician's also have another person in the room when a doctor or health care professional is preparing medication and giving the injection. This is an extra measure to have someone else checking the sterile technique. When it comes to asking questions, it is always better to ask sooner rather than later, such as before medications are placed on the table or when a patient is presented with a consent form.

Website Address: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-liijec1125,0,7254964.story

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