Error Puts Thousands Of Beaumont Patients At Risk

by ABC-7 Reporter Martin Bartlett

EL PASO, Texas — Officials at William Beaumont Army Medical Center say hospital staff improperly re-used some supplies used to administer insulin shots to diabetic patients. They said the supplies were in use between August 2007 and last month.

Now officials believe that of the over 2,100 patients who were affected, it is mainly El Paso veterans who may have been placed at risk for blood diseases like hepatitis and HIV. Officials believe the risk of infection is low.

The commander at Beaumont said it was some new nurses who had just joined the staff who stood up and exposed the problem.

But how did it get started in the first place?

“I honestly can’t answer that question — we’re actively investigating how the practice came to be used here at WBAMC. At this point, I honestly can’t give you an estimate on how widespread or how infrequent this procedure might have been,” said Commander Jim Baunchalk.

He said the problem occurred with pens used to adminster insulin injections. Hospital staff were replacing the needle but re-using the pen, something they were not supposed to do.

Baunchalk said he didn’t know if it was a result of staff members not following protocol or simply following bad directions.

The pens were in use at nine Army hospitals.

Since the scare at Beaumont, the Army has sent out an alert to all hospitals on how to properly use the pens.

“William Beaumont has been on this hill for a very, very long time…I would hope that you would give us the opportunity to regain the trust that we believe this community has placed in William Beaumont Army Medical Center,” Baunchalk said.

If you received insulininjections for diabetes at Beaumont at any time since August 2007, the hospital wants to hear from you. You need to get a blood test.

Beaumont has set up a hotline open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The number is 1-866-770-0194.