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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Construction begins for new Hawthorne Park playground Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises Employees of youth facility face sex-abuse charges Equestrians learn focus, patience in training for Southern Oregon meet Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Jurors see shocking conditions of accused serial killer's farm Emergency services Argument over stolen guns led to first shooting, Monica says Monica takes rare opportunity to cross-examine a witness in her double-murder trial Monica: Pigs 'always need something to eat' Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Kent Bush: Clinton 2.0 is neither new nor improved Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Former state Senate President Brady Adams dies Education Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Crater dropout says graduating high school would've saved him time and money New Medford middle school would offer Montessori approach Mae Richardson Elementary turns 50 Prepping before 9th grade Environment Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel" Oath Keepers say they'll defend contested mining claim on BLM land Central Point's Arbor Day project will provide shade along Mingus Creek State News Ex-Daimler Portland engineer files $2 million discrimination suit Mannix-backed measure targets taxes Oregon committee hears bill preventing child access to guns Water shortage hits riverfront city Oregon decides to buy $25 million in wildfire insurance Nation - World Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Gloria Ruth Pelett Allsup Tobi Andrews (Sherri M. Wagler) Cynthia Rose Spies Robert Lynn Jolliffe Charles Henry Herman “Hank” Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories John Skinner back in charge at Southern Oregon Speedway Mets bag fifth straight win Lancers edge Eagles with late homer LOCAL REPORT Pacquiao fights back at Mayweather jabs Varsity 541 College Sports SOU to host meet for first time in five years Oregon recruits leave their options open Mahalak serving his time with Ducks Recovered lineman George plays catch-up Bowl game payouts surpass $500 million Pro Sports Mets bag fifth straight win Pacquiao fights back at Mayweather jabs Hurtin' Blazers First-place Rockies sweep Giants Pelicans in, Thunder out on final day Community Sports Wilson delivers in return of local boxing Palmer breezes to second straight men’s title Business Latest Stories Blog: Spring Cleaning: Revisited Since You Asked: Metro Medford rebranding proved economical Zombies join in the horror produced by local game companies Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Business briefs Real Estate News Since You Asked: Metro Medford rebranding proved economical Jackson County median home price hits $215,000 in first quarter People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Business briefs Medford airport's record run continues Gov. Brown touts need for transportation funding in talk to Medford chamber Erickson shores up business with three contracts Lithia Motors shares break the $100 mark Agriculture New bosses take charge at Harry & David Dancin Vineyards covers up Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Opinion Latest Matthew T. Mangino: Mass incarceration enters the national consciousness Our View: Impeachment should be an option Letters to the Editor, April 17 Michael Gerson: Obama is desperately seeking a legacy Mark L. Hopkins: Your university in the top 20 Editorials Our View: Impeachment should be an option Our View: Gun background check bill is worth passing Our View: Don't expect a fix for I-5 viaduct through Medford anytime soon Our View: Minimum wage boost is no panacea Our View: Medford School District's new spending appears prudent Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April 17 Letters to the Editor, April 16 Letters to the Editor, April 15 Letters to the Editor, April 14 Letters to the Editor, April 13 Columns Matthew T. Mangino: Mass incarceration enters the national consciousness Michael Gerson: Obama is desperately seeking a legacy Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Kent Bush: Memories of Oklahoma City bombing still fresh 20 years later George Will: Sustainability gone wild Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone Guest Opinion: Conversion therapy on LGBT youth is child abuse Guest Opinion: Pot opponents have good reason for concern Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot Guest Opinion: Phoenix embraces Bee City USA designation Lifestyle Latest stories Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained 6 trout to know App Finder: Best Earth Day apps Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Fishing Report: Friday, April 17 Food Tammy Kelly: Soft-shell crab is in season Community blog: Orange-blossom water enhances honey syrup High on flavor, low on calories: Cookbook offers tasty options for people trying to eat healthier Prudence Hilburn: Test-kitchen products become ‘secret’ specialties Community blog: Leave fruits whole for crumbles in a time crunch Home and Garden Carol Link: Tea olive shrubs can be propagated from new growth 12 ways ceiling fans keep you comfortable and save cash Dear Monty: Profiting with adaptive re-use Paul Rogers: Schedule your time wisely Home Help: 3 upgrades to help give your bathroom spa-like panache Health Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Book Notes: A big body is not a bad body Go get physical Community blog: Better Living By Design: A Symposium You Must Not Miss Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements Charlesworth-Murphy Drizzle doesn't dampen Pear Blossom Parade spirit New Arrivals: Sunday, April 12 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Five picks for entertainment this week L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art Theater Ashland New Plays Festival chooses new artistic director A tale of two plays at OSF Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "The Musical!" delivers five clever Broadway parodies in Ashland OCT stages 'The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)' Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Music Alex de Grassi and Andrew York play SOU Live Music in Local Clubs L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Community Events Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art 'BRAND,' 'Western' among Ashland Independent Film Festival award winners Ashland Co-Dependent Film Festival 2015 Pear Blossom Festival kicks off in Medford Ashland Independent Film Festival announces 2015 lineup Dining Siam Cafe offers 'mild' to 'very spicy' Thai cuisine Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 La Tapatia offers authentically delicious cuisine RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: Sunday, April 5 The Laughing Clam in Grants Pass offers seafood-heavy menu Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Governor Brown says Oregon 'back on track' in State of the State address ... Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises ... Employees of youth facility face sex-abuse charges ... Governor Brown says Oregon 'back on track' in State of the State address ... Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises ... Employees of youth facility face sex-abuse charges ... HEALTH CARE Doctor under investigation for unsafe practices Patients may have been exposed to blood-borne viruses at Thomashefsky's Calif. office Comment By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 14, 2015 at 5:59 PM Updated Apr 14, 2015 at 6:33 PM By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 14, 2015 at 5:59 PM Updated Apr 14, 2015 at 6:33 PM » Social News An Ashland doctor’s Santa Barbara, Calif., practice has been shut down temporarily and his local practice is under investigation after health officials determined he was not complying with safe infection-control measures. Dr. Allen Thomashefsky, who specializes in nonsurgical orthopedics, including regenerative injection therapy, was initially investigated by the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department after someone with hepatitis C informed health officials that he or she recently had been treated at Thomashefsky’s Santa Barbara office. Although it has not been determined whether the patient contracted the blood-borne illness from that office, the investigation revealed “serious concerns of infection control procedures and practices,” said Susan Klein-Rothschild, a Santa Barbara County Public Health Department spokeswoman. “As a result, we decided to launch an in-depth investigation and notify patients who may have been exposed to blood-borne viruses,” Klein-Rothschild said. The health department notified patients who had undergone injection procedures at Thomashefsky’s Santa Barbara office over the past seven years, requested their medical records and recommended that they get lab work done for blood-borne illnesses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. The department also informed the Oregon Health Authority on March 11 that seven Oregon residents were among those who had been treated at Thomashefsky’s Santa Barbara office. Since then, OHA, in collaboration with the Jackson County Public Health Department, has opened an investigation of Thomashefsky’s Ashland practice. During a visit to Thomashefsky’s Ashland office, an OHA consultant and Dr. Jim Shames, Jackson County's health officer, observed breaches in “safe injection practices, the safe processing of blood products intended for injection … and correct medication stock management,” said OHA spokesman Jonathan Modie. The guidelines for safe injection practices are set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and include washing hands before preparing injections, using needles and syringes only once, never re-entering a medication vial with a used syringe or needle and never using medications packaged as a single dose for single use for more than one patient, Modie explained. Modie did not specify which guidelines Thomashefsky had failed to meet. “Our first step was to let him know what we observed and offer recommendations for remediation,” Shames said. “(Thomashefsky) took it very seriously and was very cooperative, and he wanted to make changes immediately,” Shames added. “There is no evidence that any diseases have been transmitted, but we just want to make sure that the risk is reduced to a minimum." Modie also emphasized that no Oregon hepatitis or HIV cases have been linked to injections at the Thomashefsky’s Ashland or Santa Barbara clinics. Although the Santa Barbara office has been closed since March 19, pending the outcome of the investigation, the Ashland office, as of Tuesday afternoon, was open. Modie said OHA has kept the Oregon Medical Board apprised of any findings, but according to Nicole Krishnaswami, an OMB operations and policy analyst, no formal disciplinary action has been taken and all complaints are confidential. Phone calls to Thomashefsky’s Ashland and Santa Barbara offices Tuesday afternoon were not immediately returned. In a statement to a local news outlet earlier this week, Thomashefsky said: "The safety and well-being of the patients in our care has always been our primary concern. Our office has an exceptional record in this regard. ... We have been working closely with our local and state health departments and have hired an infection control consultant who is working with us to review our practices to assure that we are using the most current best-practice recommendations from the CDC and the Oregon Public Health Department in order that we may continue to offer our patients the highest level of care." Reach reporter Teresa Thomas at 541-776-4497 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/teresathomas_mt . By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Teresa Thomas Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 14, 2015 at 5:59 PM Updated Apr 14, 2015 at 6:33 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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