Punishment Possible for Exeter Hospital

Exeter Hospital officials on Friday said they are confident new safeguards they are instituting in the wake of a hepatitis C outbreak will meet federal standards and prevent the elimination of its Medicare program.

A federal agency recently conducted an investigation of the hospital's practices after the outbreak, which prosecutors said was caused by a hepatitis C-positive hospital employee who shot himself up with patients' medication to get high. Thirty-two patients contracted the potentially deadly disease.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a stern report that found the hospital failed to secure medication properly and didn't have the correct infection controls in place, among other deficiencies. The agency told the hospital that it needs to put in new safeguards or it could face the elimination of its Medicare agreement, a move that would affect hundreds of patients.

Mark Whitney, a hospital vice president, said the hospital is putting together a plan to address the agency's concerns.

"We are confident we can work with (the agency) to reach a satisfactory resolution to their concerns," Whitney said during a news conference Friday.

He continued, "I want patients to know they're safe here."

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said if the hospital doesn't meet its demands, the hospital's Medicare funding could be terminated at the end of the year.

The agency has terminated Medicare agreements before – including earlier this year when it came down on an Illinois nursing after an investigation revealed patients suffered sexual and physical abuse.