CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When Gibbie Harris was tapped to be the interim director of the Mecklenburg County Health Department in June, she told Channel 9 she had no desire to lead the department in the long-term.
Harris has changed her mind, as she wants to make sure citizens receive care they can trust her moving forward.
“I’ve started the work and I feel I need to finish it,” Harris said.
Harris is now permanently in charge at the Mecklenburg County Health Department after a rough year that left patients uninformed and their information at risk.
In February, the department failed to notify 185 women of abnormal Pap smear test results. Then, in March, the county accidentally released private information for more than 2,000 patients to Channel 9.
PAST COVERAGE
- Scathing investigation details failures at Mecklenburg Co. Health Department
- Director: 4 no longer with health dept. after Pap smear results never sent
- Harris announced as interim Mecklenburg Co. health director
- Release of sensitive info raises trust concerns at Meck Co. Health Dept.
- Mecklenburg County health workers discovered screening issues in mid-December
- $20,000 party canceled amid health department's wrongdoings
- State recommends changes to Mecklenburg County Health Department
As the new director, Harris now receives status updates every week on women's test results and department STD screenings.
“I'm knowing that somewhere between 97 to 100 percent of those women are notified each week and those that didn't get notified are followed up on the following week,” Harris said.
The department is also working on a four-part transformation plan that includes rebuilding the department's culture, requiring use of electronic records, restructuring clinical services and possibly contracting out laboratory services.
Channel 9 asked Harris if patients can trust not only the quality of their health care, but that their private information will be protected as well.
“I believe they can,” Harris said. “I think we've made sufficient changes within the department.
The department is recruiting two more assistant health directors, bringing the total to four.
Harris said that will increase oversight.
In the next few weeks, health department officials will launch a website to notify the public of their goals and where they stand in achieving them.
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