Ottawa infection scare leads to endoscopy anxieties

Doctors in Ottawa say patients are reportedly uneasy about getting endoscopies or colonoscopies, particularly at private clinics, since an infection scare at one clinic made headlines last month.

In mid-October, Ottawa Public Health sent letters out to patients who visited the clinic of Dr. Christiane Farazli between April 2002 and June 2011, advising them to get checked for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Dr. Isra Levy, Ottawa's chief medical officer, said some infection prevention and cleaning protocols were "not always followed" at Farazli's clinic.

The infection scare has prompted a Toronto law firm to launch a class action lawsuit against Farazli.

Private clinics CBC News spoke with also said they've seen an initial slowdown in work following the news, while family doctors say they are also hearing anxiety from patients about going ahead with colonoscopies and endoscopies.

Dr. Eoghan O'Shea, the head of Academy of Medicine Ottawa, said the attention to the case has sensationalized the issues and left doctors the task of handling the anxiety.

Private clinics issue letter

"We want to say it's business as usual," said O'Shea. "If there is a recommendation [to get a procedure], make it happen."

Dr. Ramy Abaskharoun at the Ottawa Hospital said the procedures can be done at both private clinics and public hospitals, and said he hopes the infection scare doesn't send people to hospitals and tax the public system.

For now, he says, the hospital has not noticed a change in patient behaviour.

"It's only been a few weeks, we may not see it for maybe two or three months before we realize that there has been an impact or not," said Abaskharoun.

Private clinics, such as the Ottawa Endoscopy and Day Surgery Center, have put out an open letter to doctors and patients assuring the public that the clinic is safe and clean.