Providence Patients’ Lawsuit Alleges Negligence Over Potential Exposure to Hepatitis B and C, HIV

Four people who were potentially exposed to hepatitis B and C and HIV during surgeries at a Portland-area hospital have filed a class-action lawsuit against Providence, the medical center and an anesthesiology group, alleging their negligence caused pain, shock and anxiety .

The four Clackamas County patients, identified in the lawsuit by their initials, underwent surgeries at Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City between March 2022 and February 2024, the lawsuit said. On July 11, Providence sent notices to about 2,200 patients saying that the doctor who administered the anesthesia “failed to follow infection control procedures,” which exposed the patients to hepatitis and HIV.

Providence encouraged patients to get tested for the deadly viruses, “and stated that Defendant Providence ‘will contact you to discuss test results and next steps’ only ‘if the patient tests positive.’ ”

The statement did not identify the doctor, who worked at the Oregon Anesthesiology Group. The doctor was fired after an investigation, the lawsuit said.

Gary Walker, a spokesman for Providence Oregon, said, “as the litigation is pending, Providence will not be making a statement.” When asked if any patients have reported testing positive for either virus, he said, “I have nothing to share with you.” Phone messages left with the anesthesiology group seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Hepatitis B can cause liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and possibly death. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral infection of the liver and HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system.

The lawsuit states that potential exposure to these infections caused patients “pain, suffering, shock, horror, anguish, grief, anxiety, nervousness, embarrassment, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and other general and special damages in an amount of being proven at trial.”

They were “forced to incur the expense, inconvenience, and distractions from everyday activities due to worry and stress” over the possible infection, the lawsuit states.

One patient was tested for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, and although the tests came back negative, she had symptoms that left her concerned that she may have one of the viruses. She should be tested again in the near future, the lawsuit said.

“Until she receives new test results, Plaintiff DC cannot be sure whether she was exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV,” the lawsuit said. “And even after she receives her test results, there is no guarantee that Plaintiff DC will be safe from these infections, given the possibility of false negative test results.”