Y2K Update
Healthcare continues to take majority of criticism on Y2K
By DON LONG
Healthcare InfoTech Managing Editor
While Medicare recently reassured Congress and its elderly constituents that there will be no large billing disruptions come Jan 1, 2000 (see story below), the U.S. healthcare system continues to be a large target for those predicting Y2K meltdown.
At a congressional hearing on the issue last week, Joel Willemsen of the General Accounting Office supported assertions by the Health Care Financing Administration that 90% of providers had met HCFA’s April 5 deadline for submitting electronic claims in a Y2K compliant format using an eight-digit date field.
But Willemssen took a broad swipe at the rest of the healthcare industry as still having a great deal of work to do "in renovating, testing, and implementing compliant systems. With just over eight months until the turn of the century, the level of progress to date is not reassuring.'"
Willemssen singled out for criticism the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has repeatedly contended that it did not have either the legal authority or the workforce resources to monitor all of the medical products that it approves and regulates. The FDA has hounded medical device manufacturers to supply compliance information and has posted the information it has received on its Year 2000 web page. But Willemssen told the congressional committee that this information "was not detailed enough to be useful. Specifically, FDA’s list of compliant equipment lacked information relating to the particular make and model of the equipment."
A more serious concern, according to Willemssen, is that the agency failed to require the device makers to demonstrate compliance by backing their claims with test results. And he said that random testing of hospital equipment has shown that some equipment, certified by the manufacturers as compliant, failed the tests. Among the items he cited as failing the testing were a cardiac catheterization unit, used to treat heart attack patients; a pulse oximeter used to measure oxygen levels in the blood; and medical imaging equipment.
Members of the committee said that, though invited, the FDA had decided against sending any representatives to the meeting to supply their input.
Meanwhile, concern about the availability of prescription drugs at the beginning of the new year remains high. While domestic drug makers have issued assurances that they have fixed their computer systems to avoid any Y2K failures, patients have little assurance that foreign prescription drug makers or the logistics systems supporting them have achieved full Y2K compliance.
A bigger problem is that of individuals hoarding drugs an issue highlighted by a USA Today story on Wednesday. The newspaper quoted Laurene West, a consumer activist, who summarized the basic problem: "If everyone tries to get a six-month supply of drugs, then we empty our stock, and we have a bunch of people sitting on drugs they may not use." The story went on to report efforts by several drug companies to boost their production by as much as 50% to create a three-month stockpile of inventory. This particular issue is expected to be addressed by the President’s Council on Year 2000 Conversion later this month.
Meanwhile, late last week, Congress put on indefinite hold on legislation proposed to put a cap on the lawsuits and liability claims that are expected to arise.
The legislation fell victim to partisan bickering, with the Democrats reportedly refusing to back the business-friendly proposal if the Republicans are unwilling to support their key legislative proposals, such as a new hike in the minimum wage. Proposed by Trent Lott (R.-Miss.), the legislation would give companies a 90-day period to correct Y2K problems and it would limit to $250,000, or three times financial damages whichever is less the damages that small companies would have to pay out.
While Lott withdrew the bill because of the political wrangling, the issue is being interpreted largely as a battle-royal between two major corporate interests: business vs. lawyers. Word from the White House is that President Bill Clinton is likely to veto this type of legislation even if it manages to win Congressional approval.
BioMed, VHA combine Y2K databases
BioMed Y2K (BioMed; Boulder, CO) and VHA Inc. (VHA; Irving, Texas) have announced an agreement to combine the BioMed Y2K One and VHA Collaborative compliance assessment databases to offer testing plans for Y2K compliance. The companies said the new database will offer "the nation’s largest data resource addressing Y2K problems in microprocessor and software-based equipment that may impact patient care." BioMed Y2K is a subsidiary of Colorado MEDtech (Boulder, CO); VHA is a major alliance of 1,800 community-based healthcare organizations.
In addition to the compliance database, BioMed will offer its testing program for high-risk and mission-critical medical devices to VHA members. BioMed has developed what it terms device-specific protocols that will be made available to its clients and VHA’s membership. "Many of our member organizations have been dependent on device manufacturers for Y2K compliance information and recommended test plans," said Bruce Eckland, VHA vice president responsible for Y2K initiatives. "By combining our data with BioMed Y2K, our goal is to develop a more complete picture of a hospital’s compliance status, and to identify particular areas on which to concentrate""
In addition to compliance assessment and testing, BioMed will assist VHA members with Y2K device mitigation and remediation, with additional programs for extensive contingency planning and supply chain analysis. Colorado MEDtech has reported that BioMed Y2K has received orders totaling more than $4 million for assisting healthcare providers in Y2K medical device evaluation.
Emergency centers are ready
Officials of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APSCO; South Daytona, FL) are saying that a two-year effort to ensure that 911 emergency centers are ready for Y2K problems is well in place. APCO President Jack Keating said, "We're not taking the situation lightly. We have been working hard to educate public safety officials about potential problems and solutions. Preparedness is certainly the key."
Keating’s remarks came in response to comments by Federal Communications Commission member Michael Powell, who told a special Senate Y2K committee that Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) are "especially vulnerable" to the Y2K bug.
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