The staff at Boulder Community Hospital have worked diligently to prepare the hospital for a smooth transition into the new millennium
Two years ago, the hospital assembled an internal; Y2K Readiness Team that has inventoried, assessed and tested the medical equipment and information systems that could potentially be affected. All critical patient care equipment, such as ventilators, heart-lung machines and anaesthesia units, have been thoroughly tested and found to be Y2K compliant. The hospital has also received validation from 100 percent of its equipment suppliers that the other equipment identified as high priority in patient treatment will continue to function properly when we reach the new year. The hospital's primary computer system, along with other major business systems, have been upgraded to become Y2K compliant.
Like every other business (and residence), the hospital relies for its normal operations on the availability of continuous utility service - electricity, gas, water sewage and telephone. The Public Service Company has assured us that there will be electricity on January 1, 2000. If there is a power outage, however, Boulder Community Hospital maintains a diesel-powered generator that can supply all critical needs in the hospital for several days. We have adequate stores of fuel on-site to heat the hospital.
The City of Boulder has given us assurances that there will be no interruption of water and sewage services. Boulder Community Hospital's internal telephone system can be powered by our emergency generator, and the hospital has purchased wireless phones for external communications with ambulance companies and emergency broadcasting systems.
The hospital also has plans in place to ensure that we have adequate supplies of medicines, other medical supplies, and food stored on-site for our patients.
Given the uncertainty regarding Y2K, elective surgeries will not be scheduled on New Year's Day. However, the hospital is well-prepared to handle emergency patients and surgeries as well as deliver babies on the first day of the new millennium.