Timeline In Hep C Hepatitis Scare, Kristen Parker

Parker Worked At Audubon While Under Investigation At Rose

Posted: 07/09/2009
Last Updated: 1442 days ago

7:30 a.m. on Oct. 20, 2008: For about 20 minutes prior to the new employee orientation, Kristen Parker is counseled by a Rose Medical Center employee health nurse. Parker is told about her hepatitis C results and counseled to see her doctor. The nurse offered to make an appointment for Parker at the Rose Family Medicine clinic which would be a free visit. The nurse counseled Parker about healthcare precautions to prevent the transmission of the disease at work.
Oct. 20. 2008: New employee orientation at Rose Medical Center includes training on preventing transmission of blood-borne pathogens.
Oct. 21, 2008: Kristen Parker's first day as a surgical scrub technician at Rose Medical Center.
March 23, 2009: Hospital incident where Rose questioned Kristen Parker and did a drug test. She was suspended pending urine drug screen. The results came back as negative on March 30 so she returned to work.
March 2009: Denver police, working with the Drug Enforcement Agency, began investigating suspected theft and diversion of controlled substances at Rose Medical Center.
April 13, 2009: Kristen Parker caught in area she was not assigned, triggering an immediate suspension and another drug test.
April 21, 2009: Results of second drug test returned with positive drug test. She had tested positive for Fetanyl. She was informed on April 21 to report to Human Resources. On April 22, she did not show and was sent a certified letter of termination.
April 24, 2009: Rose informs State Health Department, DEA and State Board of Pharmacy about termination of an employee for cause.
May 4, 2009: Parker began working at Audubon Surgical Center in Colorado Springs.
June 2, 2009: State Health Department called Rose Medical Center about an investigation of two hepatitis C-positive individuals who also were former Rose surgical patients. Health Department wanted to set up a meeting with Rose for the next week.
June 11, 2009: State Health Department and Rose Medical Center Clinical and Quality representatives meet face-to-face at Rose to discuss hepatitis C patients on state registry and any possibility of a surgical exposure.
June 12 to June 29, 2009: Rose Medical Center and State Health launch review of all surgical patient files and all files from terminated employee for comparison against state registry and other investigative needs.
Week of June 15, 2009: Rose Medical Center begins preparing letters to be sent out to potentially infected patients. But state health department says it's premature and the state health department needs more time for interviewing and testing.
June 22, June 23, June 25, 2009: Parker was interviewed by state health officials.
June 23, 2009: Parker tells Audubon Surgery Center that she can't work per CDPHE, according to officials with Audubon.
June 26, 2009: Audubon is first notified of state investigation against Parker. She is terminated.
June 29, 2009: Rose officials, CDPHE and CDC meet to discuss go-forward plan and agree on recommendations of how to proceed.
July 2, 2009: Rose Medical Center announces its public health notice to screen 4,700 former surgical patients.
July 6, 2009: Letters mailed via certified USPS mail to all affected patients needing screening.