Y2KCC HEALTH SECTOR

ADVICE OF ACTION TO BE TAKEN TO IDENTIFY AND REMEDY Y2K PROBLEM

EQUIPMENT AFFECTED: Gambro AK100/AK200 Dialysers

To: Country Coordinator/Country Health Sector Coordinator

Problems have been reported to the UK Medical Device Agency regarding the above Gambro Dialysers. See Action Notice Ref: Y2K006, 2nd January 2000. Erroneous date and time displays are causing the particular equipment to malfunction in carrying out its auto-disinfect function. Indications are that the fault can be corrected by resetting the date and time through the service mode.

Further information and guidance can be obtained from the UK MDA Website: http://wood.ccta.gov.uk/mda/mdaaits.nsf

Please e-mail clark@iy2kcc.org with details of numbers of equipment affected and possible impact on health care.

Cathryn Wellner

-- bud hamilton (budham@hotmail.com), January 02, 2000

Answers

Followup:

The Medical Device Agency (UK) recommends the following:

"Take extra caution in the use of this equipment and plan for either a manual disinfection cycle or resetting the date and time through the service mode. Indications are that once the reset is completed, the date and time will correct even if the power is subsequently disconnected."

This equipment is for kidney dialysis.

-- bud hamilton (budham@hotmail.com), January 02, 2000.

Another Article From Yahoo News http://uk.news.yahoo.com/000105/12/d4gw.html

Y2k Bug Warning On Hospital Equipment

HEALTH chiefs last night confirmed two kidney dialysis machines crashed on the stroke of midnight on January 1 - despite passing tests aimed at beating the Millennium Bug.

They sent out an urgent warning to hospitals after concluding that the machines at Monklands District Hospital, Airdrie, had fallen victim to the Y2K bug.

A major investigation is under way and the Scottish Executive is monitoring the situation, a Government spokeswoman added.

Engineers from the machines' manufacturers, Gambro, are being sent out to all hospitals which use the equipment.

Monklands NHS Trust said that a failure in the auto-disinfection cycle had been rectified by technicians using a manual override.

Trust spokesman Douglas McKenzie said: "Patient safety was not compromised."

Gambro and the Medical Devices Agency issued a warning to all health authorities, advising them to change the date on the equipment or manually disinfect the machines.

-- Jennifer Bunker (jen@bunkergroup.com), January 06, 2000.