Class-Action Suit Filed Against Urology Clinic

By KSFY Staff

Story Created: Apr 17, 2009 at 10:22 PM CDT

Story Updated: Apr 17, 2009 at 10:53 PM CDT

Five Iowans have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Siouxland Urology Center in Dakota Dunes. They're accusing the clinic of potentially exposing them to blood-borne infectious diseases like Hepatitis and HIV. The center sent letters to more than 5,000 patients telling them that single-use products such as saline solution bags and tubing were used on more than one patient before being thrown away. The attorney who filed the lawsuit did not want to comment.
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Today, people lined up outside of the Siouxland Urology Center in Dakota Dunes to get free blood tests. But despite letters that went out, some patients say the clinic never notified them of the problem. Some of the 5,700 people who might have been exposed to blood borne illnesses, had to park on the grass in order to get their free blood test. There were more cars than would fit in the lot. Among those in line, one former patient who didn't want her name revealed. She says, "I just really question why the procedure I've had done two times now was done without changing equipment."

Stacy Bettison, a spokesperson for Siouxland Urology says the blood tests take about 5 minutes, but the wait was anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Bettison says, "It has been organized and orderly. We did have a full waiting room at one point. Our patients have been respective." While some of the 5,700 patients received a letter warning them of potential exposure to diseases like Hepatitis and HIV, we're now learning some were not notified, including Melissa Hovde of Sioux City. She says, "I don't plan on getting blood tests at Siouxland Urology. As far as I'm concerned, I'm done dealing with them for any health-related issue, and I think they could have handled it better by making sure they had notified all of the patients before we had to find out on the news." Melissa says the South Dakota Health Department has told her other patients did not receive notification and now the state is sending a letter to the clinic to find out why.

One other note, Action News has learned the Department of Health has also shared its reports about Siouxland Urology's re-use of medical products with the South Dakota Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Unit.