Dept. of Health: Manhasset doc reused syringes

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Dept. of Health: Manhasset doc reused syringes

http://www.newsday.com

BY RIDGELY OCHS

ridgely.ochs@...

A Manhasset doctor is sending letters to 36 of his patients after the doctor

reused syringes when he gave them flu shots last fall, the state Department of

Health said Tuesday.

The state began investigating the practice of Dr. E. Simhaee, an

obstetrician-gynecologist, in December after a complaint was filed with the

Nassau County Department of Health.

The state's release of information yesterday contrasts sharply with its handling

of the case of Dr. Harvey Finkelstein. It waited three years before telling the

public last fall that the Dix Hills doctor had reused syringes, which resulted

in transmission of hepatitis C.

" It's amazing that in this amount of time, they conducted an investigation and

made a notification, " said Curtis, Nassau's deputy executive of health and

human services. " The state and Nassau County did a great job. We've really

learned from the past. "

But state Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) said a second such case perhaps

warrants legislative action. " We're going to have to look into the prohibition

of multiple-use vials or limiting the use of syringes to single-use syringes, "

he said.

As with Finkelstein, the department determined that Simhaee used a single

syringe, which held up to six doses of flu vaccine, on multiple patients.

Infection-control procedures require that a new syringe be used for each

patient.

No diseases have been transmitted, the state said, and it said Simhaee has

cooperated fully. Simhaee's patients who received the flu shot between September

and December are being urged to be tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV,

and to be revaccinated against the flu.

State health department spokeswoman Hutton said yesterday's announcement

reflects health commissioner Daines' " concern that the public be alerted

more swiftly when there is a public health issue. "

More than 10,000 of Finkelstein's patients were notified that they could have

been at risk and should be tested. As of Tuesday, 13 Finkelstein patients have

tested positive for hepatitis B and nine for hepatitis C. The state has said it

is impossible to determine whether Finkelstein's office was the source of

infections.

Hutton said Simhaee was contacting the patients by phone and letter. She said

the health department composed the letter, but the doctor asked to sign it.

Simhaee declined to comment Tuesday. " This is a very highly respected doctor who

has been cooperating in every way with state and county officials and will

continue to do so, " said his attorney, Craig Schaum of Garden City.

Simhaee graduated in 1982 from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine at Yeshiva

University in the Bronx, according to the state health department Web site. He

did his graduate medical education at Maimonides Medical Center in the Bronx in

obstetrics and gynecology, and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsRev/2008/NewsRev-240.html#_Dept._of_Health:

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[Guest guest]

Dept. of Health: Manhasset doc reused syringes

http://www.newsday.com

BY RIDGELY OCHS

ridgely.ochs@...

A Manhasset doctor is sending letters to 36 of his patients after the doctor

reused syringes when he gave them flu shots last fall, the state Department of

Health said Tuesday.

The state began investigating the practice of Dr. E. Simhaee, an

obstetrician-gynecologist, in December after a complaint was filed with the

Nassau County Department of Health.

The state's release of information yesterday contrasts sharply with its handling

of the case of Dr. Harvey Finkelstein. It waited three years before telling the

public last fall that the Dix Hills doctor had reused syringes, which resulted

in transmission of hepatitis C.

" It's amazing that in this amount of time, they conducted an investigation and

made a notification, " said Curtis, Nassau's deputy executive of health and

human services. " The state and Nassau County did a great job. We've really

learned from the past. "

But state Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) said a second such case perhaps

warrants legislative action. " We're going to have to look into the prohibition

of multiple-use vials or limiting the use of syringes to single-use syringes, "

he said.

As with Finkelstein, the department determined that Simhaee used a single

syringe, which held up to six doses of flu vaccine, on multiple patients.

Infection-control procedures require that a new syringe be used for each

patient.

No diseases have been transmitted, the state said, and it said Simhaee has

cooperated fully. Simhaee's patients who received the flu shot between September

and December are being urged to be tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV,

and to be revaccinated against the flu.

State health department spokeswoman Hutton said yesterday's announcement

reflects health commissioner Daines' " concern that the public be alerted

more swiftly when there is a public health issue. "

More than 10,000 of Finkelstein's patients were notified that they could have

been at risk and should be tested. As of Tuesday, 13 Finkelstein patients have

tested positive for hepatitis B and nine for hepatitis C. The state has said it

is impossible to determine whether Finkelstein's office was the source of

infections.

Hutton said Simhaee was contacting the patients by phone and letter. She said

the health department composed the letter, but the doctor asked to sign it.

Simhaee declined to comment Tuesday. " This is a very highly respected doctor who

has been cooperating in every way with state and county officials and will

continue to do so, " said his attorney, Craig Schaum of Garden City.

Simhaee graduated in 1982 from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine at Yeshiva

University in the Bronx, according to the state health department Web site. He

did his graduate medical education at Maimonides Medical Center in the Bronx in

obstetrics and gynecology, and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsRev/2008/NewsRev-240.html#_Dept._of_Health:

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Dept. of Health: Manhasset doc reused syringes

http://www.newsday.com

BY RIDGELY OCHS

ridgely.ochs@...

A Manhasset doctor is sending letters to 36 of his patients after the doctor

reused syringes when he gave them flu shots last fall, the state Department of

Health said Tuesday.

The state began investigating the practice of Dr. E. Simhaee, an

obstetrician-gynecologist, in December after a complaint was filed with the

Nassau County Department of Health.

The state's release of information yesterday contrasts sharply with its handling

of the case of Dr. Harvey Finkelstein. It waited three years before telling the

public last fall that the Dix Hills doctor had reused syringes, which resulted

in transmission of hepatitis C.

" It's amazing that in this amount of time, they conducted an investigation and

made a notification, " said Curtis, Nassau's deputy executive of health and

human services. " The state and Nassau County did a great job. We've really

learned from the past. "

But state Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) said a second such case perhaps

warrants legislative action. " We're going to have to look into the prohibition

of multiple-use vials or limiting the use of syringes to single-use syringes, "

he said.

As with Finkelstein, the department determined that Simhaee used a single

syringe, which held up to six doses of flu vaccine, on multiple patients.

Infection-control procedures require that a new syringe be used for each

patient.

No diseases have been transmitted, the state said, and it said Simhaee has

cooperated fully. Simhaee's patients who received the flu shot between September

and December are being urged to be tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV,

and to be revaccinated against the flu.

State health department spokeswoman Hutton said yesterday's announcement

reflects health commissioner Daines' " concern that the public be alerted

more swiftly when there is a public health issue. "

More than 10,000 of Finkelstein's patients were notified that they could have

been at risk and should be tested. As of Tuesday, 13 Finkelstein patients have

tested positive for hepatitis B and nine for hepatitis C. The state has said it

is impossible to determine whether Finkelstein's office was the source of

infections.

Hutton said Simhaee was contacting the patients by phone and letter. She said

the health department composed the letter, but the doctor asked to sign it.

Simhaee declined to comment Tuesday. " This is a very highly respected doctor who

has been cooperating in every way with state and county officials and will

continue to do so, " said his attorney, Craig Schaum of Garden City.

Simhaee graduated in 1982 from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine at Yeshiva

University in the Bronx, according to the state health department Web site. He

did his graduate medical education at Maimonides Medical Center in the Bronx in

obstetrics and gynecology, and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsRev/2008/NewsRev-240.html#_Dept._of_Health:

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Dept. of Health: Manhasset doc reused syringes

http://www.newsday.com

BY RIDGELY OCHS

ridgely.ochs@...

A Manhasset doctor is sending letters to 36 of his patients after the doctor

reused syringes when he gave them flu shots last fall, the state Department of

Health said Tuesday.

The state began investigating the practice of Dr. E. Simhaee, an

obstetrician-gynecologist, in December after a complaint was filed with the

Nassau County Department of Health.

The state's release of information yesterday contrasts sharply with its handling

of the case of Dr. Harvey Finkelstein. It waited three years before telling the

public last fall that the Dix Hills doctor had reused syringes, which resulted

in transmission of hepatitis C.

" It's amazing that in this amount of time, they conducted an investigation and

made a notification, " said Curtis, Nassau's deputy executive of health and

human services. " The state and Nassau County did a great job. We've really

learned from the past. "

But state Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City) said a second such case perhaps

warrants legislative action. " We're going to have to look into the prohibition

of multiple-use vials or limiting the use of syringes to single-use syringes, "

he said.

As with Finkelstein, the department determined that Simhaee used a single

syringe, which held up to six doses of flu vaccine, on multiple patients.

Infection-control procedures require that a new syringe be used for each

patient.

No diseases have been transmitted, the state said, and it said Simhaee has

cooperated fully. Simhaee's patients who received the flu shot between September

and December are being urged to be tested for hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV,

and to be revaccinated against the flu.

State health department spokeswoman Hutton said yesterday's announcement

reflects health commissioner Daines' " concern that the public be alerted

more swiftly when there is a public health issue. "

More than 10,000 of Finkelstein's patients were notified that they could have

been at risk and should be tested. As of Tuesday, 13 Finkelstein patients have

tested positive for hepatitis B and nine for hepatitis C. The state has said it

is impossible to determine whether Finkelstein's office was the source of

infections.

Hutton said Simhaee was contacting the patients by phone and letter. She said

the health department composed the letter, but the doctor asked to sign it.

Simhaee declined to comment Tuesday. " This is a very highly respected doctor who

has been cooperating in every way with state and county officials and will

continue to do so, " said his attorney, Craig Schaum of Garden City.

Simhaee graduated in 1982 from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine at Yeshiva

University in the Bronx, according to the state health department Web site. He

did his graduate medical education at Maimonides Medical Center in the Bronx in

obstetrics and gynecology, and is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/newsRev/2008/NewsRev-240.html#_Dept._of_Health:

_________________________________________________________________

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