Computer glitch may have caused drug labeling errors

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March 19, 2003 (Computerworld) -- Thousands of patients of Kaiser Permanente, an Oakland, Calif.-based HMO, may have received the wrong medications because of a glitch in the company's computer system.
In a statement released Monday, the Oakland, Calif.-based company said its computer systems suffered a power outage that could cause labeling errors on prescriptions dispensed to 4,700 patients on March 13.
Patients could have received incorrect prescription numbers, incorrect instructions about how to take the drug or even the wrong drugs, according to the company.
Kaiser Permanente spokeswoman Kathleen Barco said the company is doing diagnostic testing on the system to determine exactly what happened and should have more information by the end of the week. "This was a fluke occurrence," she said. "There was a power dip while we were testing our backup systems, and everything was shut down. When we came back online, an alert technician discovered that something had happened [to the labeling system]."
Barco said Kaiser Permanente has contacted at least 97% of the 4,700 affected patients via automated telephone calls, courier-delivered letters and, in some cases, home visits.
The company said there have been no adverse patient reactions to date.

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