Page 950 - Week 03 - Thursday, 28 February 2013
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MS GALLAGHER: I thank Mr Hanson for the question. The problem was with the server that the EDIS system operates from. The server crashed. This happened at about 8.50 yesterday morning. I was advised at about 10.30 last night that the problem had been fixed, so it was about 12 or 13 hours that the EDIS system was not operational. It has not had this type of failure before. It was immediately responded to by Shared Services ICT and Health staff. The Canberra Hospital saw 166 patients yesterday, so in that sense that is probably a slightly quieter day than normal. One ambulance was transferred to Calvary during this time.
I take the opportunity to put on the record my thanks to the staff in emergency who continued to provide very high level care and implemented a paper-based system to ensure that patient safety and the quality of care were maintained, and they worked very hard with the workarounds that had to be put in place yesterday. From all accounts the problem as it existed has now been resolved.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Minister, will the records for waiting times for the period of the failure be accurate now, post this failure?
MS GALLAGHER: Yes, they will. All the data was collected by staff. As it normally is entered into the computer system, it was entered into individual patient records. Those patient records will now be updated onto the system over the next few days. I do not think that there is any issue or any concern about waiting times considering that the issue where waiting times that had been changed related to an individual who had changed them who is no longer working in the emergency department.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Seselja.
MR SESELJA: Minister, after what appears to be two serious failures of the system, what processes do you have in place to review or replace the system?
MS GALLAGHER: We are not replacing the EDIS system. In fact, we have just implemented it with some changes at Calvary so that the two emergency departments can speak together. In relation to the failure of the system, I think if you are referring to the unauthorised changes that were made to the system, that was not a failure of the IT system; that was a failure of a staff member to enter the correct data.
In relation to the failure that happened yesterday, this has not happened before. The EDIS system has served the Canberra Hospital very well. It was due for replacement, I understand, in two weeks. I have been advised that the system is up and running. I have not been advised whether further changes need to be implemented or the changes that were planned for in a couple of weeks time need to be done or whether that work has been done by the work that was done yesterday by Shared Services ICT.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
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