CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County commissioners are trying to dig deeper after receiving some tweets about the medical test debacle at the Health Department from people claiming to be county employees.
The Mecklenburg County Health Department failed to notify nearly 200 women about abnormal results of Pap smear tests taken last year.
County Commissioner Jim Puckett wants to learn everything he can about possible mistakes made by the Health Department. He's concerned, however, about how people are giving information. They are afraid to speak out.
"I think it's for fear of some recourse against them, either being fired or demoted," Puckett told Channel 9 on Monday.
The county's fraud hotline was supposed to be the avenue for anyone with concerns or information to inform county officials anonymously.
A person using the hotline does have to submit his or her name and some personal information, however, and that information is not shared.
It's used to verify a person's identity to ensure tips are valid.
Instead, people are taking to social media and posting on Twitter.
Puckett and other commissioners received tweets over the weekend from a person claiming to be a county employee.
One tweet from a person known as Mecklenburg 185 alleges that failures with pregnancy tests, lab results and other scans are still occurring.
Commissioner Matthew Ridenhour responded by encouraging the tipster to come forward and give specifics, saying, "the tweet doesn't help."
The tipster responded by saying he or she would come forward if the county could guarantee protection and no retaliation, saying he or she had a family to support.
Puckett replied by urging the tipster to report information to the fraud hotline.
Tweets from the tipster to county leaders:
- @Mecklenburg185
@mridenhour @Puckettbocc @meckcommish @PatCothamMeck failures w/ preg tests, lab results, other hlth scrn still occurring last wk #MeckCo185?
- Matthew Ridenhour @mridenhour
If you know of specific failures, I encourage you to come forward. Anonymity & lack of specifics doesn't help. twitter.com/Mecklenburg185…?
- @Mecklenburg185
replying to @mridenhour
@mridenhour I will if you can guarantee protection & no retaliation. Will you? Like you I have a family to support.?
- Jim Puckett @Puckettbocc replying to @Mecklenburg185
Report via meck cnty fraud hotline. I will request all health dept notices go to bocc audit and consultants for review
Puckett doesn't know if the half-dozen tips he's received on social media are new information or are from someone with an ax to grind against the county.
He said two consultants who were hired to investigate need more information to do their jobs, and tipsters have to be willing to give more details.
"Hopefully, the consultants will try to find ways to investigate beyond just what they hear in face-to-face interviews," Puckett said.
Puckett said the only way to gain back the public's trust and the trust of county employees is for people to feel that the investigation has been fair. That's why they need people to come forward.
He wants to make sure the tips to the hotline are sorted and sent to the commissioners’ own audit committee, if they relate to the Health Department investigation.
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