No illnesses reported in connection to clinic, but hundreds of patients urged to get blood test

Hundreds of Edmonton patients are learning of a potential health scare, now that the results of a joint investigation over sterilization procedures at a north side clinic have been released.

On Monday, Alberta Health Services (AHS) said issues at Edmonton’s Northtown Medical Clinic (140-9450 137 Avenue) were first discovered during an audit conducted in November, 2015.

“The staff were not properly trained and the staff were not using appropriate processes to ensure that equipment was being sterilized, was being accurately sterilized,” Dr. Trevor Themon with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta said.

Dr. Themon said the temperature of the sterilizers wasn’t meeting standards necessary to destroy potential pathogens.

Findings of the audit led officials with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) issued a ‘Stop Reprocessing’ order to the clinic and notified public health officials. The clinic was inspected by AHS, and an investigation as launched.

That investigation was finished in late June, 2016.

Meanwhile, officials said 270 patients who had skin-invasive procedures such as mole removal and skin biopsies at the facility may have been exposed to Hepatitis B and C.

“The patients who are at risk have been notified by letter, and advised to get tested for Hepatitis B and C,” Dr. Joanna Oda, AHS Medical Officer of Health said. The letters were sent out on July 14.

AHS stressed there is a low risk the illnesses were spread, but the patients have still been notified. Symptoms of the illness can include flu-like symptoms, jaundice and abdominal pain.

“There have been no confirmed cases of illness associated with this incident,” Oda said.

Officials also found that clinic had treated patients for more than two years before issues were discovered – Dr. Themon said the organization wasn’t aware the clinic had been open that long.

“Currently we get the information from Alberta Health, so from the Ministry of Health,” Themon said.

Alberta Health issued a statement to CTV News Monday afternoon, saying they would work with the CPSA and let them know when new clinics open in Alberta.

As for the clinic, it is back in operation, utilizing single-use instruments for skin-invasive procedures.

With files from Susan Amerongen

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  AHS said nearly 300 patients who had certain procedures done at the Northtown Medical Centre in Edmonton should get a blood test, after improper sterilization practices were uncovered.