40 patients develop septic arthritis after NJ clinic fails to abide by standard hygiene practices

Wall Township, NJ.-based Osteo Relief Institute Jersey Shore is facing harsh scrutiny after state officials found providers neglected to adhere to CDC standard hygiene practices, possibly causing 40 patients to develop knee septic arthritis, according to philly.com.

Here's what you should know:

1. State reports confirmed 40 patients developed knee septic arthritis after receiving care at the clinic. Of this total, 29 required follow-up surgery to combat the infection.

2. One clinic physician told state health department investigators she did not wash her hands between treating patients.

3. Reports also state this physician failed to check a patient's vital signs before injecting a pain reliever into a patient's knee.

4. The clinic reused an injectable contrast agent single-use vial up to 50 times, which may have led to some of the 40 infections.

5. The clinic voluntarily closed its doors March 7 and reopened two weeks later. The aforementioned physician cited in the report no longer practices at the center currently. A medical assistant who prepared the medication also doesn't practice at the clinic anymore, the report states.

6. The report stated, "The infection practices at Osteo Relief Institute represent a deviation from guidelines provided by the CDC and endorsed by professional associations."

7. philly.com reached out to an attorney representing the clinic for comment. The attorney has yet to respond.

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