Health-care institutions losing time, panel says

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I wonder how the healthcare institutions are doing in the USA? This is some news from Canada.

http://www.globetechnology.com/gam/Y2K/19990601/UREADN.html

Only 42 per cent to be ready in August Shawn McCarthy Parliamentary Bureau Tuesday, June 1, 1999

Ottawa -- Canada's hospitals and nursing homes are dangerously late in fixing and testing their equipment to be ready for 2000, a Commons committee reported yesterday.

In a report tabled in Parliament, the Commons industry committee said only 42 per cent of those institutions expect to have all of their critical systems ready by Aug. 31.

Committee chairwoman Susan Whelan said yesterday that, given the slippage seen in other sectors, many health-care institutions could head into 2000 with serious computer malfunctions.

"Their targets need to be monitored," Ms. Whelan said. "They are only at 42 per cent and that's very low and we want to ensure that health care, which affects all Canadians, is ready."

The Ontario Hospitals Association has estimated that only 7 per cent of medical equipment used in hospitals is vulnerable to the Year 2000 bug, but Ms. Whelan said other industries have faced unforeseen complications when testing equipment and hospitals must anticipate problems.

"You still have to test each piece of equipment for embedded chips and that takes money and time," she said.

In testing supposedly corrected equipment, many corporations have found microchips embedded in the machinery that would cause computer problems when the date clicks over to 2000.

The committee also warned that hospitals and nursing homes could find themselves without crucial supplies if others stockpile those supplies in anticipation of Jan. 1.

Some of those medicines and other health-care products come from U.S. suppliers. The committee raised concerns about keeping the supply line open if shortages occur south of the border.

It urged the federal and provincial health ministers to determine whether health-care products should be stockpiled, and if so, "urgently develop a policy on a rational allocation system."

The committee report noted that the Department of National Defence is gearing up to handle major emergencies that may arise next New Year's Day.

About 1,500 defence personnel will be stationed at one national and five regional headquarters, while 13,000 soldiers with equipment and supplies will be available to help police and to carry out humanitarian work.

The MPs concluded that governments, public utilities and basic energy and telecommunications providers are well prepared for 2000. Major corporations are largely ready, though some have seen delays when problems proved more complex than anticipated.

The all-party committee raised concerns about the voluntary sector and small- business sector because they are falling behind. To help small businesses, the MPs urged the government to extend the deadline for claiming an accelerated capital-cost allowance for new computer equipment from June 30 to Oct. 31.

Shawn McCarthy

-- y2k dave (xsdaa111@hotmail.com), June 01, 1999

Answers

* * * 19990601 Tuesday

Having worked a Y2K project ( 8 months ) for BC/BS of Michigan, they were extremely bewildered by the 10's-of-thousands of offices, clinics, and hospitals that didn't respond to Y2K-related "questionaires" they had sent out in 1997-1998. BC/BSM's mainframes may be "Y2K Okay," but all is for naught if their customer base is kaput.

Other looming questionables with "no guarantees" were telecom and electrical.

These are UNIVERSAL critical concerns. No immunity for/from anyone/anywhere.

Everything's like a huge house of cards, folks. Size has nothing to do with anything in the Y2K scenario. Get it?!?

Regards, Bob Mangus

* * *

-- Robert Mangus (rmangus@hotmail.com), June 01, 1999.


y2k dave,

Thanks for the cross-border update. Don't expect it's any better down here.

Bummer.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 01, 1999.


Thanks Dave!

I will forward this to my Canadian lists.

Brian (the other Canuck :o)

-- Brian (imager@home.com), June 01, 1999.


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