A phone hotline has been established for patients who may be affected by a serious medical imaging bungle at Caboolture Hospital.
Metro North Health said scans of up to nine thousand patients from April 2023 to September this year, that may not have been properly checked by doctors, will be reviewed.
The alert was raised in September when the case of a patient, unaware they had advanced cancer, came to light.
In a statement, Metro North Health said last month Caboolture Hospital identified inconsistencies in how medical imaging results were distributed in our Specialist Outpatient Department, meaning there are approximately 9,000 patients without confirmation their results were reviewed or followed up.
This includes surgical, cardiac, respiratory and paediatric patients who were referred to the Specialist Outpatient Department and underwent imaging during the period of concern.
Chief Medical Officer for Metro North Health, Dr Elizabeth Rushbrook said “We’ve taken immediate steps and introduced new robust processes to ensure imaging results are consistently shared with treating specialists going forward.”
“We believe most of these records were reviewed and actioned, however to be certain, we have commenced a review related to these patients to ensure they receive appropriate follow-up care,” Dr Rushbrook said.
“A dedicated expert clinical team is undertaking this work and any patients who require follow-up care will be contacted directly by Caboolture Hospital with clear information and next steps.
“I understand this news may be distressing for patients and families, and I want to reassure our community that this review is being treated as an absolute priority.
“Importantly, no medical imaging records have been lost. All results remain securely stored in each patient’s digital medical record.
“This review will be undertaken as a stepped process which we expect to take approximately two weeks for high priority patients.
“We sincerely apologise for any concern this issue may cause and thank our community for their patience as we work through this process thoroughly and carefully,” Dr Rushbrook said.
Caboolture Hospital has established a dedicated hotline which people can call to speak to someone about their results and next steps.
Only patients identified as requiring follow up care will be contacted.
If you are concerned, more information can be found on Metro North website or by calling the hotline on 5316 5163
