How to Stop Another David Kwiatkowski

Medical technician David Kwiatkowski is currently sitting in jail on charges alleging he spread his hepatitis C to 32 Exeter Hospital patients by injecting himself with their medication to get high.

Some of the patients who were being treated for serious conditions prior to contracting hepatitis C are now facing potentially fatal complications from the disease.

Kwiatkowski, meanwhile, faces up to 98 years in jail. Health officials have said he may have infected at least a dozen more patients at hospitals across the country before he came to Exeter.

Exeter Hospital is looking to hire a specialist to devise ways to prevent another outbreak from happening.

Another preventative measure could be hiring a former drug user, according to a story on Salon.com

“You want to stop hackers, you hire a hacker,” Dr. Richard Garfein, a medical professor at the University of California-San Diego, told Salon.com. “There’s a lot to be gained by talking with people who have been on the other side.”

Other measures Garfein suggested are hospital employee drug screenings, drug access controls, and substance abuse prevention classes for hospital employees.

Click here to read the story on Salon.com.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

• Exeter Hospital Worker Charged in Hepatitis C Disaster
• FBI: Dave Kwiatkowski Knew He Had Hepatitis C
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