Becker's Hospital Review

75 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY Olympus to Pay Virginia Mason $6.6M for Role in Superbug Outbreak: 7 Things to Know By Brian Zimmerman J urors on July 24 ordered Olympus to pay Seattle-based Virginia Mason Med- ical Center $6.6 million in damages related to a superbug outbreak that began in 2012. e hospital was ordered to pay $1 mil- lion to a deceased patient's family, according to the Los Angeles Times. Here are seven things to know. 1. e decision marks the end of an eight-week trial in which three executives from Olym- pus invoked the Fih Amendment during a deposition. While the company was hit with financial penalties, it got a key win in the trial as the jury rejected claims that Olympus' du- odenoscopes were unsafe by design. 2. By early 2013, Olympus was already fac- ing superbug outbreaks in three nations linked to their duodenoscopes. At least 35 patients in American hospitals have died from infections related to Olympus duodeno- scopes since 2013, according to the LA Times. 3. e Virginia Mason outbreak involved the pathogen carbapenem-resistant Enterobacte- riaceae, which can be difficult treat because of its high level of antibiotic resistance. 4. Olympus argued Virginia Mason was at fault for not informing patients and their families about scope-related infections, leaving them to find out from a newspaper account about the outbreak, according to the LA Times. 5. However, the jury found Olympus did not provide adequate warnings about potential safety issues related to the scopes and proper instructions for use. e devicemaker advised U.S. executives against issuing warnings to hos- pitals about potentially contaminated scopes. 6. In January 2016, Olympus issued a volun- tary recall of its TJF-Q180V duodenoscope, asking organizations to return the scope for revision. is was the same model of scope used to treat Richard Bigler, the deceased Vir- ginia Mason pancreatic cancer patient whose wife, eresa Bigler, and their four children initiated the lawsuit against Olympus. Virgin- ia Mason later joined the suit. 7. More than 25 patients and families from across the U.S. have filed lawsuits against Olympus, alleging wrongful death, negli- gence or fraud. Additionally, federal prosecu- tors are investigating the devicemaker. n HCA Poaches Half of Kansas Health System's Cardiologist Team By Alyssa Rege H CA Midwest Health, a seven-hospital system in Kansas City, Mo., hired seven cardiologists from Olathe (Kan.) Health July 17, according to The Kansas City Star. The physicians will join the 32-member Mid- west Heart and Vascular Specialists cardiol- ogy team that provides services at nine HCA Midwest facilities across Kansas City. Midwest Heart and Vascular Specialists is affiliated with HCA Midwest Health. The seven physicians will primarily practice at Overland Park, Kan.-based Menorah Medi- cal Center and Overland Park (Kan.) Regional Medical Center. Thomas Baldwin, MD, one of the seven phy- sicians transitioning to HCA Midwest Health, told The Kansas City Star while each physician independently made the decision to move, each individual was attracted by the opportu- nity to join a larger health system offering more cardiovascular surgery options. A representative from Olathe Health said the health system sent a letter to patients explain- ing the change, the report states. n Do Cellphones in the OR Jeopardize Patient Safety? 5 Thoughts By Mackenzie Bean M anuel Alvarez, MD, adjunct professor of obstetrics and gynecol- ogy at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, weighed the pros and cons of physician cellphone use in the operating room in a recent editorial for Fox News Health. Here are five thoughts from Dr. Alvarez, who also serves as a senior man- aging editor of health news for the online publication. 1. Cellphones allow physicians in the OR to access helpful medical apps, look up critical information or rapidly call for help, if need be. However, hospitals cannot properly monitor physicians to ensure they are using their phones solely for work purposes, according to Dr. Alvarez. 2. Physicians who use their cellphones in the OR to simply "kill time" jeop- ardize patient safety, wrote Dr. Alvarez. 3. He also noted cellphones, which often carry bacteria, increase a pa- tient's infection risk when used in the OR. 4. Physicians may also use cellphones to insecurely access and share pri- vate patient information. A 2016 report from Skycure found 14 percent of physicians store patient data on their phones without a password, and more than 60 percent of physicians transfer patient information via text message. 5. "While experts cannot give an exact number for medical errors related to cellphones, devices clearly risk patient safety," Dr. Alvarez concluded. "Doctors should do everything within their power to stay alert and de- crease infections during surgery. Staying off their devices will ensure this level of excellence. Hospitals and doctors should work together to put a strategy in place and enforce it. After all, patient safety is at stake." n

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