PORTLAND, Ore. — Four patients have filed a class action lawsuit against Providence and an anesthesiology firm, accusing them of "gross negligence" after learning that hundreds of patients may have been exposed to infectious diseases by a single practitioner who worked at multiple hospitals in the Portland metro area.
In July, Providence notified over 2,200 patients that they may have come in contact with hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, linked to a practitioner from the Oregon Anesthesiology Group who violated "infection control practices." Providence urged patients to take a blood test.
Oregon Anesthesiology Group, which is being sued alongside Providence, reportedly learned about the violations in June 2024. After an investigation, they fired the practitioner. They have not been publicly identified.
According to the lawsuit, the practitioner treated patients at Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center between 2017 and 2023, before Providence switched anesthesiology providers in November 2023. The practitioner also worked at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center for six months beginning in December 2023.
READ MORE: 2,400 patients may have been exposed to infectious diseases at Providence, Legacy hospitals
All four of the plaintiffs live in Clackamas County, and they are identified in the lawsuit only by their initials. According to the lawsuit, all four underwent intravenous anesthesia administered by the anesthesiologist in question at Providence hospitals.
According to public statements, neither Providence or Legacy have linked any infections to the breach, and none of the plaintiffs reported testing positive for an infectious disease in the lawsuit. Two reported that they'd been tested for hepatitis and HIV and were awaiting results, while another said she'd received a negative result but she'd "experienced symptoms that make her concerned" that she did contract something.
“Over 2,000 patients have now learned they were at risk of having contracted an infectious disease because of the defendants’ alleged failure to implement proper protocols to prevent this possible exposure,” said attorney Adam Polk of Girard Sharp, one of three law firms representing the four plaintiffs.
“Since shortly after these notifications were sent out, we have been speaking with patients on a daily basis who were impacted by the potential exposure, they are obviously distressed and concerned about their health and the health of their loved ones,” added attorney Joe Sauder of Sauder Schelkopf.
Providence told KGW that it would not comment on pending litigation. KGW has reached out to Oregon Anesthesiology Group for comment.
Between 2008 and 2019, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention listed 66 total outbreaks of viral hepatitis related to health care. However, the vast majority — 94% — occurred in non-hospital settings.
After potential exposures of a similar scale at a New Jersey surgery center in 2018, patients filed a class action suit. The case was later settled and the surgery center agreed to provide additional free blood tests for plaintiffs.