SA Pathology incorrectly refers 68 patients to urologist after prostate cancer screening tests

SA PATHOLOGY potentially instilled fear in 68 patients following prostate cancer screening tests — the second false reading blunder in one week.

Generic image of female doctor with crossed arms and a stethoscope.

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IN its second serious bungle in less than a week, SA Pathology incorrectly referred 68 patients to a urologist after prostate cancer screening tests, SA Health has admitted.

The alarming error — which first became known to SA Health on Tuesday — comes after the Sunday Mail this week revealed 100 other men received false positive test results indicating they may have prostate cancer.

SA Health chief medical officer Paddy Phillips admitted the second blunder, blamed on a “coding error’’, was recognised following the Sunday Mail’s revelations.

In a statement from SA Health, SA Pathology said it had contacted 42 clinicians about prostate cancer test results that were accurate but accompanied by an incorrect statement.

“The important thing is the results were completely accurate,” Professor Phillips said.

He said the incorrect statement recommended referral to a urologist when the correct recommended course of action for such results was retesting in six to 12 months.

“On 5 April, SA Pathology was alerted to an incorrect comment on the pathology report provided to referring doctors between 17 March, 2016, and 5 April, 2016,” Prof Phillips said. “On further investigation, it became apparent that for 68 patients, the test results (of low-to-moderate PSA levels) reported were accurate, but the automatically-generated statement underneath the results did not match the action required for these patients.

“As soon as we became aware of this issue we have taken steps to determine the patients impacted and we’re contacting each of their referring doctors.”

Prof Phillips said SA Pathology had corrected the reporting coding error to ensure it would not happen again and offered an “unconditional apology” to distressed patients.

He will now chair a steering committee for an investigation into both incidents and said he maintained “every confidence” in SA Pathology.

“When we have (the answers) we will provide those to you (the media) and the South Australian community,” he said.

Opposition health spokesman Stephen Wade said both blunders had further tarnished SA Health’s reputation and instilled fear in more than 168 people.

“There are thousands more South Australians who are less likely to believe advice when it comes from SA Health,” he said.

He said there was a need for a full judicial inquiry into the health department.

Anyone with questions or concerns should contact their referring doctor or call SA Pathology on 8222 3000.