Doctors & Hospitals Reusing "Single-Use Medical Devices-That's Wrong!

THE DOCTOR IS IN
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LAS VEGAS- Hello America, and how is the world treating you.

What the devil are doctors around the country doing putting patients in harms way?

Here is what I'm talking about. A few days ago a Las Vegas doctor, Dr. Michael Kaplan was caught reusing single-use medical devices on patients while he was checking men for prostate problems. The Health Department notified at least 101 of doctor Kaplan's' patients to be tested for such things as Hepatitis C, and HIV. The medical device which he chose to used multiple times on different patients clearly states that it to be used only" one time". The device is meant for " single-use" on one patient and then disposed of. However, it is reported that this doctor, who in the past, has had at least 9 malpractice suits brought against him where one or more resulted in a patients death chose to use this single-use medical device on patients until, ' "his words" " it became to bloody"---

Dr. Kaplan estimates that he used the single-use device at least five times each on five different patients before he would dispose of it. Then he would take another new single-use device and use it on five or so more patients and he would not notify the patient that he was reusing a device that had previously been used on someone else. Wrong? You bet.

But that's not the end of it. It wasn't too long ago here in Las Vegas that Dr. Dipak Desai reused medical devices and equipment that were to be used on a single-use basis. As a result, somewhere between 60,000- 70,000 patients in Nevada were sent letters to be tested for HIV, AIDS, or Hepatitis C. It was the largest AIDS, Hepatitis scandal scare in United States history. Some of the patients did contract HIV or Hepatitis C.

Even with Dr. Desai's bad medical care Dr. Kaplan chose to put patients at risk of contracting fatal diseases by doing basically the same thing. But wait, there's more, - - now, Dr. Lawrence Newman came forward on his own and told the Nevada Medical Board that he too, was reusing single-use medical devices on different patients. Wow! It doesn't stop there folks, an attorney reported in the local newspaper this standard of care may be happening nationwide by thousands of doctors. Can you believe it?

These three bad doctors here in Las Vegas and all doctors in the United States are college graduates and supposed to be able to read and write. Most doctors claim to be very intelligent so what don't they understand when it is clearly written in the instructions on the medical device "SINGLE-USE" only. Are they smarter than a fifth grader? Apparently not, if they cannot read a very clear label and adhere to the instructions that the medical device is to be used only ONE time and then disposed of.

But two of these doctors are now claiming they were told by the medical device salesman that they were allowed to use the device on more than one patient. It appears the blame game is occurring here. The company that manufacturers the device denied that they instruct any of their salesman to tell doctors that a single-use device can be used over and over again.

I clearly would not want any other person's body tissue, fluids and blood to be transferred into my body, especially if that person were infected with AIDS, HIV, or Hepatitis C.

How can these supposedly professionals show such total disregard for patients just because they want to save a few pennies or in this case only ($10.00), which is the cost of the medical device in question?

Other news that was disclosed after this fiasco said that doctor and hospitals across the country also use "reprocessed single-use medical devices if they are processed by an FDA accredited facility.However, if the device has been reprocessed it can only be used one time following the reprocessing. Further, some doctors say that even though the medical device has been reprocessed there may still be another persons body tissue and fluids attached to that specific medical device. Can you believe it? Just so the doctor or hospital want to improve the bottom line they have no qualms about "First, do no harm." Their bottom line is more important to them than the safety of the patient.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that if any WARNING LABEL reads: "single-use only" that is what it is intended for. That device should not be reused EVEN if it has been reprocessed. These hospitals and doctors make enough monies so as to afford to pay pennies for the small items and even $10.00 for an item. There should be no excuse whatsoever for any doctor or hospital to reuse or reprocess a single-use medical device. To me, that would border on malpractice.

When the doctors and hospitals do perform this outrageous act upon a patient it looks as though the doctor and/or hospital is rolling the dice just hoping the odds are in their favor and they are not infecting or doing harm to that patient. On the other hand if they would follow proper protocol and follow the instructions on the medical device they would not have to worry about harming "any" patient. Why? One single-use medical device for "one" patient. It's a no-brainer folks.

At this point I have to applaud the Veterans Administration hospitals and health care workers. This medical group that serves our veterans has a strict policy prohibiting the reuse of "single-use" medical devices and the Veterans Administration does not use any "reprocessed single-use" medical devices in their hospitals. Hooray!

If the Veterans Administration hospitals can adhere to the rules and protocol of when a single-use medical device can be used, why doesn't each and every other hospital and doctor in the nation do the same thing.

Folks, I suspect the answer to the question is"greed." Greed by the doctors and hospitals that want to save money. But what price is a person's life, health? Who wants to see their father, mother, spouse or even their children possible die just because those heath care people decided to roll the dice as a cost cutting move by the doctor or hospital? Is a person 's life not worth a $10.00 investment -And, that's my opinion. Make your own judgment and decisions. You decide.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com