A Never Event [Paperback]

Evelyn V. McKnight and Travis T. Bennington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2008

In the small, farming community of Fremont, Nebraska, townspeople eagerly welcomed an acclaimed doctor as the first full-time oncologist at the new, local cancer treatment center. But the fanfare soon turned into a nightmare. During chemotherapy treatments, 857 patients who were already waging the fights of their lives against cancer were inexplicably exposed to the deadly, blood-borne hepatitis C virus. At least ninety-nine of them contracted the lethal illness. The horror was unprecedented as this was the largest healthcare-transmitted outbreak of hepatitis C in American history, and remains so to this date. A Never Event - a term used to describe a preventable medical tragedy - is a searing account of the health challenges these patients encountered and their quest for justice, as well as the painstaking investigation to uncover the source of the outbreak. It s a story of recklessness, deception and betrayal by the person these patients should have been able to trust the most: their physician, a man who, when the outbreak was discovered, fled the US for his native country in the Middle East. Written by a survivor of the tragedy and an attorney who represented many of the victims, A Never Event is a wake-up call to medical and legal communities nationwide.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dr. McKnight's efforts and her own harrowing account have helped to bring important attention to the root causes of these avoidable tragedies. I commend her advocacy and efforts to raise awareness about the impacts of healthcare related infections involving hepatitis C and other potentially life threatening illnesses. --Shelley Berkley, Congresswoman of Nevada

This will be the wake-up call to doctors, nurses and to patients. Everyone's concerns for patient safety should be resolved, reporting systems should be immediately linked and swift action should be encouraged to protect all patients. This book will be the text for all ethical healthcare providers. --Joe Hardy, MD Nevada State Assembly

Evelyn McKnight has taken a courageous step in telling her personal experience of being infected with hepatitis C. Her story has provided encouragement and hope to people across the nation and to the patients in Nevada who are coping with an all too similar outbreak. --Lawrence Sands, DO, MPH

About the Author

Evelyn McKnight, a two-time survivor of breast cancer, lives with the chronic hepatitis C that she contracted during the Nebraska outbreak. Using the money from her settlement against the oncology clinic, she founded the patient advocacy foundation HONOReform, which has been recognized by CBS, CNN, America Morning, USA Today, The Associated Press and Newsday. Travis Bennington is a practicing civil trial attorney who successfully represented nineteen victims of the Nebraska hepatitis C tragedy. Mr. Bennington is also a co-founder of HONOReform.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Arbor Books; 1 edition (September 25, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0980058287
• ISBN-13: 978-0980058284
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #418,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Never Event, June 16, 2009

By 

CRNA "Concerned Healthcare Provider" (Fort Worth, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Never Event (Paperback)

Well written account of a horrific event in healthcare.
This book exposes the lack of commitment to individuals in the healthcare field. It produces feelings of anger and disgust that such an occurrence can filter through so many channels without being confronted with changes being made. The reader completes the book with concern and skepticism for healthcare throughout the country.

5.0 out of 5 stars Indie Book Award Finalist!, September 13, 2011

By 

J. Barnes "Retired Reader" (Omaha, NE) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Never Event (Paperback)

This title was a selection for my book group, and I approached reading it with dread that it would be so steeped in medical jargon that I would get lost. This is definitely not the case. The authors used just the right blend of medical facts with the humanity of the patients involved. Discussion and interest at the book group was stimulating. Many husbands came with wives in the hope of unnderstanding how this "never event" happened. The book includes a useful timeline of the Nebraska Hepatitis C Outbreak and information about Hepatitis C. Read it on your own or make it a book group selection--just read it.

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthwhile read for any medical professional or administrator, September 7, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Never Event (Paperback)

It does little to bolsters one's faith in healthcare when truly horrible tragedies occur. "A Never Event: Exposing the Largest Outbreak of Hepatitis C in American Healthcare History" discusses the tragedy surrounding a Fremont, Nebraska cancer clinic. During chemotherapy treatments, many patients were accidentally exposed to this deadly virus with a high mortality rate. Chronicling what led to the accident, and the aftermath, "A Never Event" serves as a warning to other medical institutions to watch what they do carefully. "A Never Event" is a worthwhile read for any medical professional or administrator.