Almost 400 people will be urged to have a second colonoscopy after concerns were raised about the accuracy of the original procedures at a Hobart clinic, due to the ill health of the physician who has since died.
In a statement, the hospital it was contacting patients who underwent a colonoscopy with the late doctor Hugh Jackson between November 2017 and May 2018 at Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital.
Dr Jackson died on June 6.
Calvary's national chief operating officer Matt Hanrahan today admitted that nurses first raised concerns that the doctor's health may be affecting his work in November last year, but the hospital continued to let him carry out the procedures.
"Concerns were raised about Dr Jackson's health and how that may have impacted on his clinical practice in doing colonoscopies," Mr Hanrahan said.
"Our nursing staff made observations during some of the cases during that period that the entire bowel may not have been viewed, and based on expert advice and based on precaution we're contacting all patients that had a colonoscopy."
He said the processes that allowed Dr Jackson to keep working were being reviewed by "internal auditors".
"We have processes and procedures in place to deal with the type of situation and they were enacted. Given the circumstances, we'll be reviewing those procedures."
Mr Hanrahan said 390 of Dr Jackson's colonoscopies over seven months to May this year have now been identified as needing to be reviewed.
"This is a precautionary measure to be 100 per cent sure nothing abnormal has been missed," he said.
"Based on the advice we have received from our medical experts, we believe that the overall risk for the entire group of patients in the period is low.
"Nevertheless, the risk for individual patients is uncertain, and because of this we are advising those patients to consider a repeat colonoscopy."
Calvary said it is contacting each of the identified patients and arranging with them to come and be assessed next week.
The hospital said a second colonoscopy will then be offered to the patient at no cost to them.
Anyone who is concerned about the treatment they received should contact the helpline the hospital has set up on 1800 549 679.
