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Ariz. hospital testing patients for Hep B, C

Posted at 7:26 PM, Feb 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-14 21:26:29-05

Two Arizona hospitals are offering free hepatitis and HIV testing to patients after discovering a former employee is accused of stealing pain medication at Swedish Medical Center. 

HonorHealth officials said in a statement that the former surgical technician worked for John C. Lincoln Medical Center between July and September of 2014.

They say the male technician, Rocky Allen, was fired after testing positive for use of a controlled substance.

The health system says there is no indication that patients were harmed, they've identified some 97 patients who may have been impacted. 

A spokesperson at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona confirms Allen worked there in 2014 as well, but won't say why he left. 

Patients at both hospitals who had a surgery involving him will be able to get tested for hepatitis B and C and HIV.

Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado is asking 2,900 people who underwent surgery there between Aug. 17 and Jan. 22 to get tested.

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