Major computer system crash plunges hospitals into turmoil, doctors turn to old-school paper records
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In an era where technology is at the forefront of our daily lives, it's hard to imagine a world without it.
However, hospitals across Queensland recently experienced this reality when a mass computer outage left medical professionals unable to access patients’ digital records.
The Integrated Electronic Medical Record (ieMR) system experienced a significant glitch around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 22, causing it to crash.
This system is a critical tool for hospital staff, providing them with digitised medical records of patients.
The sudden outage left medical professionals scrambling to find paper records and continue their work without the aid of the system.
This led to slower treatment and longer waits for patients, and it was also noted that surgeries were postponed due to the outage.
The shutdown impacted about 16 key hospitals in south-east Queensland, including notable ones like Princess Alexandra, Gold Coast, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.
A doctor at the Townsville Hospital said, ‘It is absolute mayhem. We [cannot] access [the] patient’s medication and observation charts, which means that something could be overlooked. This is unsafe on so many levels.’
Another doctor from Princess Alexandra Emergency Department described the situation as an ‘absolute nightmare’.
Kieran Keyes, the Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive, confirmed the outage to a news source.
He reassured the public that despite the technological hiccup, patient care was not compromised. 'The community can be assured we have well-practised alternative paper-based processes in place, and there is no impact on patient care being delivered,' Mr Keyes said.
A Queensland Health spokesman later confirmed that the system was back up and running, and an investigation into the cause of the outage was underway.
'The ieMR’s log-in function has now been restored,' the spokesman said. 'Back-up systems operated well, and we are not aware of any direct patient safety impacts as a result of the ieMR issues today.'
This is not the first time the ieMR system, a $1.2 billion program, has faced an issue since its rollout.
Initially proposed in 2014, the system was designed to fully digitise patients' health and medical records by 2021. However, software glitches in 2019 delayed the scheduled rollout of the technology.
You can watch 9 News Australia’s coverage of the outage here:
The Importance of Reliable Digital Systems in Healthcare
The recent incident in Queensland highlights the importance of reliable digital systems in healthcare.
As we move towards a more digitised world, the healthcare sector is not exempt from this transition. Electronic health records (EHRs) are becoming increasingly common, replacing traditional paper records. They offer numerous benefits, including improved accuracy, accessibility, and efficiency.
However, as the Queensland incident shows, the transition to digital is not without its challenges. System crashes and software glitches can cause significant disruptions, potentially impacting patient care.
What are your thoughts on the transition to digital health records? Have you had any experiences with system outages or glitches? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
However, hospitals across Queensland recently experienced this reality when a mass computer outage left medical professionals unable to access patients’ digital records.
The Integrated Electronic Medical Record (ieMR) system experienced a significant glitch around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, November 22, causing it to crash.
This system is a critical tool for hospital staff, providing them with digitised medical records of patients.
A major computer system crash forced doctors and hospital staff to use patient’s paper records. Credit: Antoni Shkraba/Pexels
The sudden outage left medical professionals scrambling to find paper records and continue their work without the aid of the system.
This led to slower treatment and longer waits for patients, and it was also noted that surgeries were postponed due to the outage.
The shutdown impacted about 16 key hospitals in south-east Queensland, including notable ones like Princess Alexandra, Gold Coast, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.
A doctor at the Townsville Hospital said, ‘It is absolute mayhem. We [cannot] access [the] patient’s medication and observation charts, which means that something could be overlooked. This is unsafe on so many levels.’
Another doctor from Princess Alexandra Emergency Department described the situation as an ‘absolute nightmare’.
Kieran Keyes, the Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive, confirmed the outage to a news source.
He reassured the public that despite the technological hiccup, patient care was not compromised. 'The community can be assured we have well-practised alternative paper-based processes in place, and there is no impact on patient care being delivered,' Mr Keyes said.
A Queensland Health spokesman later confirmed that the system was back up and running, and an investigation into the cause of the outage was underway.
'The ieMR’s log-in function has now been restored,' the spokesman said. 'Back-up systems operated well, and we are not aware of any direct patient safety impacts as a result of the ieMR issues today.'
This is not the first time the ieMR system, a $1.2 billion program, has faced an issue since its rollout.
Initially proposed in 2014, the system was designed to fully digitise patients' health and medical records by 2021. However, software glitches in 2019 delayed the scheduled rollout of the technology.
You can watch 9 News Australia’s coverage of the outage here:
The Importance of Reliable Digital Systems in Healthcare
The recent incident in Queensland highlights the importance of reliable digital systems in healthcare.
As we move towards a more digitised world, the healthcare sector is not exempt from this transition. Electronic health records (EHRs) are becoming increasingly common, replacing traditional paper records. They offer numerous benefits, including improved accuracy, accessibility, and efficiency.
However, as the Queensland incident shows, the transition to digital is not without its challenges. System crashes and software glitches can cause significant disruptions, potentially impacting patient care.
What are your thoughts on the transition to digital health records? Have you had any experiences with system outages or glitches? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
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