Patients of a Woodstock-based obstetrics and gynecology clinic are being urged by the region’s public health agency to get tested for possible infection.
After an “infection prevention and control lapse” linked to improperly sterilized medical equipment was confirmed during a September inspection by Southwestern public health officials, the region’s top doctor recommended any patients of Dr. David Snider who had “certain procedures” at his clinic between Jan . 1, 2020, and Sept. 12, 2022, get tested.
“At this time, we have not received evidence that disease transmission has occurred,” Dr. Ninh Tran, the region’s medical officer of health, said in a release. “Following the investigation, my initial assessment is that the risk of acquiring such an infection from improperly sterilized medical equipment in this setting is anticipated to be very low.”
The lapse was the result of an improperly working autoclave, a machine that uses high temperatures to sterilize medical instruments. According to public health officials, this machine at the 716 Dundas St. clinic was not being “routinely tested” and wasn’t actually working at the time of the inspection. Improperly sterilized medical instruments can raise the risk of the transmission of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis B or HIV in medial settings, public health officials said.
“Dr. Snider is working closely with our public health unit, actively participating in the investigation process, supporting the notification of patients and making the required changes to his … practices,” Tran said.
Tran noted that Snider has switched to disposable medical instruments since the September inspection.
The investigation of Snider’s clinic was spurred by a public complaint. Under provincial legislation, the results of any public health investigation into infection control practices must be “disclosed publicly” and the findings must be shared with the “appropriate regulatory bodies,” such as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in this case.
In the coming days, affected patients will be notified by letter. Anyone who believes they have been affected can learn more at the health unit’s website at
www.swpublichealth.ca/sniderpatients
.