Texas Hospital Director To Apologize For Ebola Case Errors
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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The U.S. Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a hearing Thursday examining the public health response to the Ebola outbreak. It is there where Dr. Daniel Varga, the Chief Clinical Officer and Senior Executive Vice President for Texas Health Resources will formally apologize for mistakes made when caring for the first patient diagnosed in the U.S. with Ebola, Thomas Eric Duncan.
Officials at Texas Health Resources and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas have been criticized for their handling of Duncan's care and the subsequent exposure of dozens of health workers to Ebola.
In prepared statements released Wednesday night, Dr. Varga is expected to say, "Unfortunately, in our initial treatment of Mr. Duncan, despite our best intentions and a highly skilled medical team, we made mistakes. We did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as those of Ebola. We are deeply sorry. Also, in our effort to communicate to the public quickly and transparently, we inadvertently provided some information that was inaccurate and had to be corrected. No doubt that was unsettling to a community that was already concerned and confused, and we have learned from that experience as well."
♦♦♦ Click Here To Read Dr. Varga's Statements In Their Entirety ♦♦♦
Dr. Varga will also speak about the impact Duncan's death had at the hospital. "It was devastating to the nurses, doctors, and team who tried so hard to save his life. We keep his family in our thoughts and prayers."
The statement will also address how incorrect information was told to the media. "In our effort to communicate to the public quickly and transparently, we inadvertently provided some information that was inaccurate and had to be corrected. No doubt that was unsettling to a community that was already concerned and confused, and we have learned from that experience as well."
The first health worker in North Texas to be diagnosed with Ebola will also be a topic. Dr. Varga speaks of Nina Pham as a nurse who "courageously cared for Mr. Duncan."
Saying that it still isn't known how Pham became infected, Varga will speak highly of her work ethic. "She is known as an extremely skilled nurse, and she was using full protective measures under the CDC protocols."
Dr. Varga ends his statement by saying that Texas Health Resources, including and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, is, "Determined to be an agent for change across the U.S. healthcare system by helping our peers benefit from our experience."
♦♦♦ Complete Coverage Of Ebola In North Texas ♦♦♦
The head of the CDC, Dr. Thomas Frieden, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, officials from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Homeland Security will also attend, either in person or by teleconference, Thursday's hearing.
In Frieden's prepared statement he will assert that, "We know what we must do. In order to stop an Ebola outbreak, we must find active cases, respond appropriately, and prevent future cases. The use of real-time diagnostics is extremely important to identify new cases. We must support the strengthening of health systems and assist in training healthcare providers."
A federal memorandum says the hearing will focus on public health agencies and their efforts to prevent Ebola from spreading in the U.S. Those addressing the House of Representatives will also speak as to the preparedness of American ports and health facilities across the county to "identify, diagnose, isolate, and treat Ebola patients in a safe and appropriate manner."
Frieden will also detail the dangers and complexities of contracting Ebola, noting that the average incubation period for Ebola is eight to 10 days, and that diagnosing the virus is particularly difficult when a person has been infected for just a few days.
"While we do not yet know exactly how these [healthcare worker] transmissions occurred, they demonstrate the need to strengthen the procedures for infection-control protocols which allowed for exposure to the virus. We are working very hard to investigate the situation, but are not waiting for the completion of this investigation and have already helped the hospital implement new measures for safety."
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