wfn.org | Health officials gear up for Y2K

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

March 16, 1999 News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212)870-3803*New York
10-71B{143}

By Susan Kim*

WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- In the wake of government reports blasting health care
providers for lack of Y2K preparedness, some industry officials argue that
they're on schedule to be ready. 
            
Large hospitals are taking inventory of computer hardware and software,
medical devices, and communication systems that could pose potential
problems when computers roll over from 1999 to the year 2000. 
         
"There will be surprises," said Pam McNutt, chief information officer for
the Methodist Hospitals of Dallas. "I don't doubt that. But major health
care institutions have this issue well under control. The key is to take
nothing for granted and to test every device. If you're not certain about
something, isolate it or develop a contingency plan." 
            
By law, hospitals must have disaster preparedness plans, including working
generators in case of blackouts, food and water supplies, and backup
communication systems. 

"We've had our systems go down from time to time. Everyone knows the drill,"
said McNutt. "The tricky thing about Y2K is that the drill may last longer."

            
Modern hospitals have thousands of pieces of equipment operated by computer
chips, including medication pumps, heart defibrillators, EKG monitors, X-ray
machines, and even thermometers. Since hospitals operate like miniature
cities, they may face more Y2K challenges than most other public service
providers, corporations or agencies. 

Fears about Y2K stem from the fact that many computers are not programmed to
handle century changes, so Jan. 1, 2000, will register only as 00.
Unprepared systems might interpret that as 1900 or some other date. In any
case, computer crashes and other problems could result. 

In addition to medical devices, hospitals are testing pharmaceutical
suppliers, heating systems, elevators, kitchen appliances, patient records
and other ancillary but vital patient services. In some cases, hospitals
have to wait until equipment vendors release Y2K-compliant upgrades. 

Although a hospital's internal phone lines may be Y2K compliant, officials
are still concerned about untested external lines that could interrupt
communication. Methodist Hospitals of Dallas plans to have cellular phones
and "runners" ready to transmit essential calls and information. Other
hospitals plan to adopt "just in case" measures around Dec. 31, such as
scheduling additional staff to be "on-call," canceling elective surgery, and
leasing extra cellular phones or radios.

A recent Government Accounting Report expressed concern that the health care
industry is not prepared for Y2K. It said that Medicare and Medicaid health
benefits could be delayed, miscalculated, or unpaid because the Health Care
Financing Administration, a branch of  the Department of Health and Human
Services that helps pay medical bills for more than 70 million people, was
not ready. 
            
Medicare expects to process more than a billion claims and pay $288 billion
in benefits annually by the year 2000. Medicaid provides about $160 billion
in health coverage for 36 million low-income people. 
           
The report also said that 90 percent of doctor's offices, as well as many
smaller hospitals, are not prepared for the Year 2000 rollover. 
            
But McNutt said people should not lose perspective. 

"Say a doctor's office isn't ready," she said. "Well, let's dissect that a
little bit. Most doctors' offices are not full of sophisticated life-support
equipment. If they can't get a bill out, they may resort to manual billing.
If their X-ray machine doesn't work, they may have to send patients
somewhere else for a day or two. They may lose their appointment schedule.
But nobody is going to die. That's why I think that whole statistic about
doctors' offices is being overplayed." 
            
Other health care providers, such as family care clinics, assisted living
homes and adult day care centers, are also inventorying equipment, meeting
with vendors about upgrading hardware and software and making contingency
plans. St. Joseph's of the Pines, which provides assisted care, adult and
child day care, and family care clinics in 24 counties throughout North
Carolina, has a committee that focuses on potential Y2K-related problems. 

"We're preparing to provide services even if certain systems go down," said
Holly McGaw, who works in the information management department. "For
example, how will patients communicate with nursing staff if phones are
down? We're looking at walkie-talkies and CB radios."
 
McGaw said that St. Joseph's 1,700 employees are already knowledgeable about
providing services after a disaster. A recent ice storm was a good test, she
said. "When we realized that roads were closed and power lines were down,
some of our employees visited patients on horseback." 
            
Retirement communities, which many times include health care clinics, are
also taking steps to prepare while trying to reassure concerned residents. 

"We're planning to coordinate informational meetings with residents and
inform them about what could happen," said Larry Marstellar, resident
services representative at the Westbury United Methodist Retirement
Community in Meadville, Pa. 
            
Westbury houses about 500 residents in 50 villas, two apartment buildings
and an assisted living facility. Marstellar said the community is planning
for Y2K as if for any other disaster, and it is also following
recommendations offered in seminars sponsored by the county and city
emergency management officials. "We are going to hope for the best but
prepare for the worst," he said. 
            
But McNutt cautioned that preparing for the worst doesn't mean the public
should panic. "Many people are worried about medical supplies or
prescriptions. But if people start stockpiling medications, then there will
be a shortage. In other words, this could be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
            
"If people are in a state of panic, I can just see someone bringing a loved
one on a ventilator to a hospital doorstep on New Year's Eve because they're
scared the ventilator will stop working. We've got to keep testing the
equipment and educating the public. I think we're in a good place right
now." 

# # #

*Kim is a writer for Disaster News Network, at www.disasternews.net on the
Internet. This story originally appeared there.        
 

______________
United Methodist News Service
http://www.umc.org/umns/
newsdesk@umcom.umc.org
(615)742-5472