A former manager and surgical technician who worked at a San Diego surgery center has filed a new whistleblower lawsuit against the owners of the surgery centers affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN campaign, according to a SCPR report.
The latest whistleblower lawsuit, filed against weight loss surgery center owners Julian and Michael Omidi, alleges that a series of surgeries in 2011 may have exposed patients to a potential hepatitis C infection. The suit alleges the clinic's sole machine used to sterilize surgical instruments malfunctioned last Dec. 30, when eight patients underwent surgery there. One of the patients allegedly carried the hepatitis C virus, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges the clinic owners transported surgical instruments and drugs between San Diego and other facilities in Southern California. The plaintiffs allege that unsterilized tools used on the patient with hepatitis C were transported to anther surgery center and used without further sterilization in January.
Surgery center lawyer Konrad Trope said in a statement that his clients "vigorously deny" the allegations; he called the plaintiffs "disgruntled ex-employees" and said they had invented the allegations.
This is the second whistleblower lawsuit filed against Mr. and Mr. Omidi, who own 11 surgery centers affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN campaign.
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The latest whistleblower lawsuit, filed against weight loss surgery center owners Julian and Michael Omidi, alleges that a series of surgeries in 2011 may have exposed patients to a potential hepatitis C infection. The suit alleges the clinic's sole machine used to sterilize surgical instruments malfunctioned last Dec. 30, when eight patients underwent surgery there. One of the patients allegedly carried the hepatitis C virus, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges the clinic owners transported surgical instruments and drugs between San Diego and other facilities in Southern California. The plaintiffs allege that unsterilized tools used on the patient with hepatitis C were transported to anther surgery center and used without further sterilization in January.
Surgery center lawyer Konrad Trope said in a statement that his clients "vigorously deny" the allegations; he called the plaintiffs "disgruntled ex-employees" and said they had invented the allegations.
This is the second whistleblower lawsuit filed against Mr. and Mr. Omidi, who own 11 surgery centers affiliated with the 1-800-GET-THIN campaign.
Related Articles on ASC Quality:
Patient Safety Tool: Adverse Event Reporting Form for Office-Based Surgery
Patient Safety Tool: Retained Foreign Object Audit Tool
Study: Caution Needed on Dual Eligible Care Coordination Policies
