Cleaning lapses prompt 11-day endoscopy pause at Providence hospital  – Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News

Providence Medford (Ore.) Medical Center recently paused endoscopy procedures for 11 days after identifying quality-control lapses in its cleaning and sanitization process. 

“We recently learned that some quality-control steps and related processes in endoscopy cleaning were not completed in some cases at Providence Medford Medical Center,” a hospital spokesperson said in a July 29 statement to Becker’s. “Out of an abundance of caution, Providence temporarily paused endoscopy procedures. This pause allowed us to review our processes and retrain our caregiver team.”

The hospital resumed procedures July 9 after the department was closed from June 27 to July 8. Providence Medford said it is working with the Oregon Health Authority and the CDC to review cleaning and disinfection protocols and is offering affected patients free testing.

The hospital did not say how many patients may have been affected or what specific conditions the testing will examine. In a statement to the Rogue Valley Times, the Oregon Health Authority said there have been no reports of illness linked to the quality-control lapse, adding that they “are still reviewing and responding to this incident.” 

Becker’s has also reached out to the Oregon Health Authority and will update the report should more information become available.