Mayo Clinic technician may have exposed thousands of patients to hepatitis C

Steven Beumel, 47, a former radiology employee at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville was fired in August after the case was reported.

He has lost his license to work in radiologic technology and faces criminal charges for changing syringes containing a saline solution with the ones filled with a potent painkiller for personal use.

Beumel continued this practice of switching syringes for several years before finally being caught.

He was arrested last month on a minor felony related to stealing drugs, but is likely to face more serious charges for tampering with drugs and inflicting serious harm to a patient.

Beumel worked at the Mayo from Oct. 11, 2004, through Aug. 21, 2010. He worked in Interventional Radiology at St. Luke's Hospital from 2004 to April 11, 2008, when Mayo Clinic owned St. Luke's Hospital.

"We want to ensure that every patient who might be at risk is tested. We want to cast as wide a net as possible to make sure we've included any possible patient", said Dr. William C. Rupp, chief executive officer of Mayo Clinic in Florida.

Certified letters sent to all affected
The clinic has sent certified letters to nearly 5,000 patients whose health may have been jeopardized by the negligent behavior of the former radiology technologist.

The renowned clinic has tried to track down every patient who was undergoing medical intervention on the days Beumel was working in the hospital.

Most of the affected patients are from Florida, but since the health officials are not sure how many people were injected and contaminated with the dirty needles, letters have also been dispatched to several living in the Southeast and a few who may be living abroad.

Health officials have already tested more than 2,400 patients and an additional 2,100 patients are being sent letters advising them to be tested for hepatitis C.

"We want to ensure that every patient who might be at risk is tested," said Dr. William C. Rupp, chief executive officer of Mayo Clinic in Florida. "We want to cast as wide a net as possible to make sure we've included any possible patient."

Three patients test positive for hepatitis C
According to Mayo Officials, at least, three patients have tested positive for hepatitis C.

Tests have determined that all three are genetically linked to the type Beumel suffers from.

One of those patients died from the virus, another died from an unrelated illness while the third is still alive.

According to experts, many people with hepatitis C don't know they are infected as the symptoms don't develop until years later.

New safeguard to protect patients
In order to protect their patients from drug addicted employees, the Mayo Clinic officials are taking adequate steps to improve security related to narcotics.

Mayo nurses will now initial every syringe so that they cannot be switched without detection.

Dr Rupp stated, “Mayo Clinic will do whatever is necessary to support the needs of its patients. Patient safety is central to the trust the organization shares with its patients.

“Mayo Clinic is working to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. The multiple systems in place to control narcotics are being strengthened further to create even tighter control.”