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Y2K

Monday, December 6

By Cindy Stauffer New Era Staff Writer

Lancaster New Era

As the clocks roll over at midnight, ushering in the year 2000, each department at Lancaster General Hospital will have a "red box," complete with flashlights, lists of telephone numbers and emergency plans.

At St. Joseph Hospital, each department will get a "tool kit" containing directions on what to do if, for example, the power fails.

At Community Hospital, a backup oil tanker will be on site to provide fuel for its backup generators.

All of Lancaster County's hospitals have spent months preparing for the millennium moment, testing medical, information, telecommunications and plant equipment and making any necessary preparations to avoid problems with the Y2K computer bug.

Special attention has been paid to life-sustaining equipment.

"Our premise was to focus on the patient," said Greg Oliphant, director of information systems at Ephrata Community Hospital. "Our contingency plans don't involve administrative systems.

"We'll probably be able to take care of you, but we didn't worry too much about if we'll be able to bill you."

By last March, St. Joseph Hospital employees had tested all of the equipment that could affect the life or safety of patients, said Mary Babb, regional director of information technology for the St. Joseph Regional Health Network.

Many hospitals discovered they did not have to make major equipment upgrades. Most of what they had to do involved software upgrades or required them to purchase new computers.

"What we found through testing is that errors surround dates on medical records," said John Lines, LGH spokesman. "None of those errors would have resulted, if left unchecked, in patient injury or death."

Some hospitals have replaced some equipment. For example, Community Hospital of Lancaster had to replace an older electrocardiogram machine and some diagnostic equipment in its radiology department.

All of the hospitals already have backup generators on site, in case of a power failure. Most have upgraded those generators, so they can be ready if there is a long-term power outage.

Ephrata Community Hospital will have a refrigerated truck on hand to store food for its cafeteria and kitchen, which are not connected to its emergency generators.

Last spring, Lancaster General Hospital _ Susquehanna Division, in Columbia, tested the readiness of its equipment by completely shutting off its power and briefly running off generators, Lines said.

In addition to beefing up their staffs _ Ephrata, for example, will have many on-call physicians at the hospital overnight _ most hospitals will be closing their operating room on Dec. 31 to non-emergency surgeries.

Most will not schedule non-emergency surgeries on Jan. 1 either. That's really not out of the ordinary, however, since New Year's Day is both a Saturday and a holiday, a day when elective surgeries would not normally be scheduled.

Ephrata Hospital has made arrangements to handle people who need to see a family doctor but, if phones fail, will not be able to reach the physician. The hospital will set up an alternate "triage" area, which will serve as a primary-care facility for patients with ailments such as earaches or fevers.

Local hospitals said they are prepped and drilled, ready for the millennium.

"In my own personal opinion, I think it's going to be an extremely quiet evening," said James Kelly, Community Hospital's chief financial officer. "I don't think there are going to be any major issues that we haven't thought about that are going to create any problems."

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), December 08, 1999

Answers

Ephrata Community Hospital will have a refrigerated truck on hand to store food for its cafeteria and kitchen, which are not connected to its emergency generators.

Makes a handy back up morgue as well.

Did anyone catch the piece on the Jeff Rense/John Whitley show where he discusses all the preparations England has made to have plenty of space for lots of dead bodies... supposedly in case all those crazy partiers decide to jump into the Thames in the midst of their drunken revelry... but with a little digging he found out the contingency was in case... are you ready.... in case PLANES FALL FROM THE SKY.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 08, 1999.