VIDEO: Exeter Hospital Fails to Face Public
Hospital representatives did not attend a public meeting tonight.
Photos
Videos
Exeter Hospital representatives Friday night failed to show up and address the public during an open meeting about a hepatitis C outbreak at their hospital.
Several patients lashed out at the hospital for the outbreak, which has infected 20 people so far. State health officials expect that total to rise as more test results come in.
Officials have said the outbreak was likely caused by a drug-stealing hospital employee.
The state's top health officials held a meeting at Exeter High School to address the public's questions and concerns about the outbreak.
Dr. Jose Montero, the state public health director, said Exeter Hospital representatives were invited to the meeting. Montero said he found out through a press release the hospital issued that they would not show up.
That angered many of the roughly 100 people in attendance.
"Exeter Hospital can share hepatitis C with us, but they can't share information?" said Terry Murphy, an Exeter resident who was treated at Exeter Hospital's cardiac catheterization lab, where the outbreak occurred.
Murphy had another reason to be angry. He was one of hundreds people being tested for hepatitis C – a potentially deadly liver disease.
He submitted a blood sample to the hospital, but for some reason it was left untouched – and a nurse informed him he would have to submit another sample because the previous one was no good anymore. About two dozen other patients have to be retested, too.
"How much are we expected to put up with?" Murphy asked. "Once again, I'm a victim of Exeter Hospital's malfeasance."
You can watch Murphy express his frustration in the video at right.
Below is a statement Exeter Hospital put out a few hours before the meeting:
The New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is hosting an open forum tonight at 6 p.m. at the Exeter High School in Exeter, NH. This meeting is intended for epidemiological experts at the DPHS to update the public on their investigation and answer questions about their findings.
Exeter Hospital does not have a formal role in the state’s proceedings tonight and in deference to the state’s request to keep the focus of the meeting on their efforts, Exeter Hospital will not be making any presentations or be taking any direct questions. It is possible that Exeter Hospital employees may attend the meeting on their own; however, they will not be in a position to comment on behalf of the hospital.
Exeter Hospital will respond appropriately, based on our current circumstances, to questions raised at the forum either via the media or other public avenues. Our ability to comment is somewhat limited by the initiation of an investigation by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s office, but we will continue to provide the public with as much information as we can.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
- Two Class-Action Lawsuits on the Way Against Exeter Hospital
- Criminal Probe Launched in Exeter Hepatitis C Outbreak
- Exeter Hospital Sued Over Hepatitis C Outbreak
- Exeter Hospital CEO Apologizes for Hep C Outbreak
- Public Meeting Friday on Hep C Outbreak
- Drugged-Up Hospital Worker Likely Caused Hep C Outbreak, Official Says
- Exeter Lawmaker: Hold Public Meeting on Hepatitis C Disaster
- Criminal Charges in Hepatitis C Disaster?
- Hepatitis C Victim's Wife: No Apology, Few Answers from Exeter Hospital
- Rogue Employee in Hepatitis C Outbreak?
- DISASTER: More Victims in Hepatitis C Outbreak
- 'Irresposible' Handling of Hepatitis C Crisis?
- Exeter Hospital Hepatitis C Victim: 'I'm Scared'
- Exeter Hospital Hepatitis C Outbreak Gets Worse
- Exeter Hospital Employee Infected with Hepatitis C
- Patient 'Mad As Hell' After Hepatitis C Outbreak
- Four Hundred Tested So Far in Hep C Case
- Four Infected in Exeter Hepatitis C Outbreak
In This article
-
Exeter Hospital
5 Alumni Dr, Exeter, NH -
-
Exeter High School
315 Epping Rd, Exeter, NH -
-
-
Warren Bennett
9:40 pm on Friday, June 15, 2012
Why would any patient step foot in a House of Cowards?
vicki lewton
8:58 am on Saturday, June 16, 2012
That is absolutly not true! Are you forgetting all the wonderful staff in EH!! 1 person has done this and it is awful to judge everyone! The staff at this hospital are very dedicated to thier patients! EH physicians wonderful! What about all the years of positive things!! I am so saddened that a drug addict has done this to others! NOT EH!! I am so sorry for the effected patients and I am sure the EH will do thier best to help these patients!
cfields
9:10 am on Saturday, June 16, 2012
I so agree with you Vicki!!
MaggieMay
11:34 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
The state said they didn't want hospital representatives to attend! I'm with you vicki and cfields.
Do you really think anyone at the hospital wanted this to happen??
MaggieMay
11:36 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012
And maybe a few less histrionics and more real reporting on the part of the exeter.patch would help keep things civil.
NH Sunflower
8:57 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
House of cowards. Are you for real? Apparently you have not been treated or a patient of the hospital. I wouldn't go any where else or have my children treated any where else. Exeter has the most amazing Nurses, staff and administrators.
Kathy Corson
9:31 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012
Not to mention how important it is to our community. The hospital and its doctors are the largest employer on the Seacoast of New Hampshire. They suffer then we all suffer. We need to support them in order to have a healthy community economically.
Susan
12:18 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012
Exeter Hospital has stringent policies and processes in place to prevent drug diversion from occurring, but as most people know, even the most sophisticated and technological securities can not stop a criminal. The individual who committed this horrific crime has broken all rules and caused a tremendous amount of grief and sufferring for not only all of the victims, but for the hospital staff and the community. We know this can potentially happen anywhere, and it happened here at Exeter. While there should be a deep investigation on how to improve processes, the entire hospital should not be pulled under due to the actions of one disgusting individual.