AHA: Hospitals doubt Y2K will hurt critical areas
June 1, 1999 5 minutes read
AHA: Hospitals doubt Y2K will hurt critical areas
But many expect noncompliant data systems
On the heels of a U.S. Senate report about the woeful state of Y2K preparedness in health care, the American Hospital Association is reporting that even facilities that do not expect to be completely ready for the computer bug are projecting little impact on critical operations.
In the area of information systems readiness — which includes clinical data that may be most important to infection control programs — an AHA survey found that almost a third of the hospitals surveyed do not expect to be totally compliant by the end of the year, but are "expecting no adverse effect on critical operations." However, in assessing their current situation, 5.8% reported slow progress and difficulties in coming into compliance. Still, only 0.5% responded that they are expecting to be noncompliant with possible adverse effect on critical operations. (See charts, p. 86.) The survey did not ask respondents to be specific regarding which departments are considered critical operations.
"We’ve been hearing from our members that they have to prioritize in terms of their Y2K preparation," says AHA spokeswoman Dionne Dougal in Washington, DC. "They identify those areas which they consider mission-critical. Those are the areas that directly relate to patient care. Those may [also include] information systems, obviously medical devices, and also infra structure. But that was pretty much left up to them."
The problem in part is that old two-digit software dating systems in many computers may not read year 2000 data correctly. That could set off potential equipment failures in computers and biomedical devices, creating a domino effect throughout interconnected systems. Y2K analysts have noted that even infection control departments with fully updated office computer systems may be impacted if, for example, the data systems they draw from for patient surveillance and lab reports are affected. In addition, the U.S. Senate report found that many hospitals are relying solely on producers of medical devices to certify their Y2K compliance, and that overall the health care industry lags significantly in its Y2K preparations compared to other key economic sectors. (See Hospital Infection Control, May 1999, pp. 57-62 .)
Indeed, lack of information from suppliers was listed as the No. 1 barrier to Y2K readiness in the AHA survey, with 62% of respondents reporting the problem. Other reported barriers to compliance cited by AHA survey respondents included lack of human resources (32%), not enough time (22%), and lack of funding (21%).
While the survey reflects overall confidence that major problems will not ensue as a result of the computer glitch, the AHA is concerned about the few hospitals anticipating problems or reporting difficulty in coming into compliance.
"That’s a major concern for us, and that just means we’ve got to step up our activities and try to pinpoint exactly what area it is that either they’ve identified or that we can surmise where they need extra help," Dougal tells HIC.
The Senate report was based in part on hearings conducted in July and October 1998 and on an independently commissioned health care survey the same year. The AHA survey reflects a more current picture of the situation, Dougal says, because it was conducted in February 1999. The AHA surveyed a nationally representative sample of hospital and health system CEOs. The survey measured respondents’ current and future Year 2000 readiness in the areas of information systems, medical devices, and physical plant and infrastructure. The survey defines Y2K compliance as an institution’s performance and/or functionality not being affected by dates prior to, during, and after the year 2000. A total of 583 surveys were returned, which, based on standard survey methodology, means an accuracy rate of plus or minus 5%.
Most expect medical devices to be compliant
In findings on medical device readiness, 57.9% of those surveyed expect to be Y2K-compliant by the end of the year. Another 38.2% of respondents are projecting that their medical devices will not be totally compliant, but are expecting no adverse effect on critical operations. Again, only 0.5% projected noncompliance with possible adverse effects on critical operations, but 6.7% said their current efforts were progressing slowly.
A somewhat similar trend of current struggles and relatively high compliance projections by year’s end was found in another report recently issued on health care Y2K preparedness by the U.S. Office of Inspector General.1 (See charts, p. 85.) In December 1998, the survey was sent to a total of 5,000 hospitals, nursing facilities, home health agencies, durable medical equipment suppliers, and physicians. Survey responses were accepted through early February 1999. The report includes the following key findings regarding year 2000 readiness for the U.S. health care system:
• Billing and financial systems: About half of all respondents reported their billing and financial systems were Y2K ready. Of the respondents who were not ready, more than 90% of hospitals responded they will be ready by Dec. 31, 1999. Only 70% to 84% of the other provider groups responded that their billing and financial systems will be ready by this date.
• Clinical and medical record systems: About half of respondents indicated that their clinical and medical records systems were Y2K-ready. For most provider groups, at least three-quarters of those not ready reported that they will be ready by the year 2000. However, rural physicians (47%), urban physicians (64%), and rural home health agencies (63%) were less likely than other providers to have these systems ready by that date.
• Biomedical equipment: Fewer than one-third of respondents reported that their biomedical equipment was Y2K compliant. Overall, respondents seemed less confident in the Y2K compliance of their biomedical equipment than they did in the Y2K readiness of their computer systems.
• Systems testing: Fewer than two-thirds of respondents had renovated or replaced their computer systems for Y2K compliance. More than half of these respondents had tested the systems. Fewer than half of respondents renovated or replaced biomedical equipment. Testing of this equipment ranged from 36% to 80%.
• Contingency planning: Fewer than half of respondents had developed a contingency plan in preparation for possible Y2K-related failures. Of the respondents who have not yet developed a contingency plan, almost all hospitals plan to develop one, while about half of physicians intend to develop one.
[Editor’s note: The complete AHA survey results are available on the association’s Internet home page at http://www.aha.org. To obtain copies of the Inspector General’s report, go to www.dhhs.gov/progorg/oei or call (800) 531-9562.]
Reference
1. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Y2K Readiness of Medicare Providers. (OEI-03-98-00250) Washington, DC; March 1999.
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