The Colorado Department of Health has contacted Rose Medical Center about a group of nine patients with hepatitis C who were treated at the hospital. All of these cases are under investigation by the Colorado Department of Health. The investigation is examining the possibility that a former Rose surgical room employee, who was terminated before we learned of these cases, may be the source of the virus. That has not been confirmed. Right now, we are working closely with the Colorado Department of Health to determine all of the facts.

Our first concern is always the safety, care and privacy of our patients. We consulted with the State Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and decided the best precaution for our patients is to offer free, confidential and individual testing to everyone who had surgery at Rose Medical Center or at the outpatient surgery department in the Wolf Building at Rose between October 21, 2008 and April 13, 2009.  Only patients who had surgery in the main hospital or the Wolf Building between October 21, 2008 and April 13, 2009 require testing.  Women who gave birth at Rose and patients who were treated in the Emergency Room are not affected.

 The testing of the surgery patients who fall within the parameters identified above is the only way to be certain if any additional patients have been exposed to hepatitis C. Based on the investigation, testing is not necessary for HIV or hepatitis B. 

 We are taking a very conservative and cautious approach by contacting everyone who had surgery during this broad time period at Rose Medical Center or the outpatient surgery department in the Wolf Building at Rose.  4,700 letters are being sent to patients.  However, it is likely that most of the patients who receive letters will not have been exposed to hepatitis C. 

Rose has established a Patient Care Line to answer questions from patients and their families. We ask patients to wait for a letter notifying them if they may be affected before calling. The Patient Care Line is still available at 303-320-7525. 

We anticipate that some of the letters we are mailing may not reach the patients for whom they are intended.  Our goal is to reach every patient who may be affected and so we are asking the news media to help us get out the word to anyone who had surgery at Rose Medical Center or the outpatient surgery department in the Wolf Building between October 21, 2008 and April 13, 2009.  Those patients should call the Patient Care Line beginning Monday.

 It is very important everyone who had surgery during the time period and in the locations we’ve identified be tested, even if they feel healthy, because people infected with hepatitis C often feel no symptoms.

 This is a personal issue for all of us at Rose Medical Center.  We value every patient who comes here for care.  It is impossible to adequately express how deeply sorry and angry we are that the unconscionable acts of this terminated employee may have put some of our patients at risk.