HIV-Positive Surgical Tech Compromises Health of Colorado Patients

Federal prosecutors are urging nearly 3,000 patients of a Colorado hospital to get tested for HIV after a surgical technician infected with the disease allegedly replaced fentanyl syringes with saline.

According to Outpatient Surgery magazine, Rocky Allen, was fired from Swedish Medical Center in Englewood earlier this year after hospital officials became aware of the switched syringes and after Allen tested positive for fentanyl.

The hospital issued a letter to all patients who underwent surgery during Allen's time at the facility to let them know they might have been exposed to bloodborne pathogens. So far, there is no evidence that any of the 3,000 notified patients were harmed by Allen’s criminal act. However, the Colorado Department of Public Health says 1,000 patients still have not taken the free screening they were offered. For the 2,000 patients who did, there was no sign of infection.

This is not the first time Allen has been in trouble for stealing fentanyl. The U.S. Navy court marshaled him in 2011 for the same offense. He was also reportedly fired from four different hospitals in Arizona, California and Washington state before he worked at the Colorado hospital.

Allen has been indicted by a federal grand jury for tampering with a consumer product and obtaining a controlled substance by deceit. If convicted, he faces a 14-year federal prison sentence and fines up to $500,000.

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