As if we didn't have enough to worry about as we maneuver our way through the complicated health care system, this disturbing dialysis sanitary news is coming out of New York.

An Upper West Side dialysis center has been shut down by the New York Health Department because of an outbreak of hepatitis C.

Here are some of the shocking things the health officials found.

"…poor infection control practices, including blood on the treatment chairs and dialysis machines, lack of proper hand hygiene, and inadequate disinfection of equipment."

An important point we need to think here is how we can better protect our parents and ourselves.
Let me say something which I may regret but I think it's too important not to point out.
Just because you are in a hospital doesn't mean it's clean.

I am a landlord and I have had many doctors and nurses as tenants. We have noticed a few things about their apartments which are disturbing in the housekeeping department. I'll stop there.

We are our own advocates and the advocates for our aging parents who are dependent on us.

If we see anything that is not totally clean (and that may include mammography machines, for example) we need to stand up and speak up. We deserve good sanitation. Our parents' lives may depend upon it.

According to reports, one patient at the New York dialysis center has already contracted hepatitis C. This is horrible to think about, but it has happened.

Read Patient contracts Hepatitis C from dialysis center

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