Texas Health Presbyterian apologizes in ad for Ebola response

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Barclay Berdan, CEO, Texas Health Resources

Lance Murray

Digital Content Producer- Dallas Business Journal

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Texas Health Resources bought a full-page newspaper advertisement over the weekend to apologize to the community for its handling of the case of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first patient diagnosed with Ebola in the United States at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

The "Letter to the Community" was signed by Texas Health Resources CEO Barclay Berdan. It appeared in the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"When we initially treated Mr. Duncan, we examined him thoroughly and performed numerous tests, but the fact that Mr. Duncan had traveled to Africa was not communicated effectively among the care team, though it was on his medical chart" Berdan said. "On that visit to the Emergency Department, we did not correctly diagnose his symptoms as thos of Ebola. For this, we are deeply sorry."

Duncan was sent home with an antibiotic on his first visit to the hospital in late September and returned two days later with full-blown Ebola symptoms. He died on Oct. 8 at the hospital.

Two Texas Health nurses, Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, later came down with the disease as a result of their care for Duncan. Pham has been transferred to the National Institutes of Health in Maryland and Vinson was transferred to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta where they are receiving treatment for the disease.

Shortly after Duncan died, Texas Health Presbyterian began receiving criticism for its handling of Duncan's case.

Also over the weekend, 48 people on a watch list because they had contact with Duncan have been cleared to resume their lives after not exhibiting any Ebola symptoms. Officials said roughly 120 people continue to be monitored for possible exposure.

Lance Murray edits and writes for the DBJ's website and can be reached at 214-706-7106. Subscribe to our email newsletters.