A Pennsylvania hospital has been cited after it was discovered that someone in an operating room used a cell phone to take photos and video of a patient who was under anesthesia and then passed them on to other hospital staff members.
The incident allegedly happened in December when the unidentified patient went to the emergency room at UPMC Bedford. The person went to the hospital with what was described only as a genital injury in which a "foreign body" had to be removed, the Pennsylvania Department of Health told PennLive.
The next month, an employee went to hospital officials telling them that there were photos and video of the patient circulating around the hospital.
After an investigation, one doctor was suspended for seven days. A second doctor was suspended for nearly a month. The hospital is also replacing the surgical services nursing director, PennLive reported.
Officials at UPMC, the health network of which UPMC Bedford is a part, reported the hospital to the Health Department concerning the case, WJAC reported.
PennLive reported that a doctor told an employee to take a photo with the operating room camera for future lectures. But the employee claimed the camera was broken, so someone used a personal cellphone. At first the Health Department thought only one photo was taken, but they discovered that multiple were taken. The camera that was claimed to have been broken was working, according to the Health Department, but was too complicated to use.
UPMC Bedford has been directed by the Health Department to take corrective measures, including reminding staff of hospital policies and having surgical staff go through a meeting on privacy and confidentially. Some staff members, who were not identified, will have notations made in their files.
WJAC reported UPMC said in a statement: "Upon discovery, UPMC quickly self-reported the incident to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and took appropriate disciplinary action with the individuals involved. The Department of heath has approved our plan of correction.
“We have also alerted the affected patient. Since this is an ongoing investigation, we are not at liberty to comment further at this time”
Click here to read the report from the Health Department .
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