Aug. 10, 1998. Whether the year 2000 computer problem proves to be an annoyance, a crisis or something in between, the issue reveals just how widely fragmented and hotly competitive the health care industry is. Decades ago, computer programmers like Ackerman routinely denoted years with two digits, not four. They took for granted that the code they created, now at the center of the Y2K storm, would become obsolete. We are convinced the American health care community is in deeply serious trouble due to anticipated problems in the year 2000 changeover.
Patient lives are at stake.
Few went that far in their testimony. Looming budget cycles and narrowing revenue streams undercut health care's ability to respond. Yet left unattended, Y2K bugs could snarl scheduling, cut off reimbursement and cause malfunctions in medical devices. Move beyond liability fears Medical equipment breakdown is one area of Y2K concern that could have immediate impact on patient care. But in a liability-conscious environment, many hospitals and doctors are left groping for information about the technologies they use.