Exeter Hospital Clashes With State Over Hep C Testing

is refusing to comply with state health officials' plan to test its employees for hepatitis C based on concern that more than one employee was involved in an outbreak there.

Medical technician Dave Kwiatkowski was with spreading his hepatitis C to at least 32 patients by injecting himself with their medication to get high.

State health officials on Wednesday they want to test an unspecified number of Kwiatkowski's colleagues to make sure no other workers were involved in the outbreak. They announced the recommendation after another patient Kwiatkowski's hepatitis C – even though that patient had a procedure at the hospital prior to Kwiatkowski working there. Officials did say, however, that Kwiatkowski started working at the hospital before the patient was discharged.

In a statement today, Exeter Hospital said it's not necessary to test additional employees and that it would be an invasion of their privacy.

"We do not support the idea of government driven broad based testing of employees without first having specific evidence concerning why that testing is appropriate on a case by case basis and there is strong legal support for it," the hospital said. "We are confident that we can work with the state on a more targeted, rational approach that is consistent with state and federal laws, respects both patient and employee privacy rights, and does not create unnecessary anxiety or concern in the general public."

The hospital said that would set up voluntary testing for the employees that state identified.

State health officials today said they are preparing a response to the hospital's statement.

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