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Healthcare Giant Faces IT Nightmare

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the awesome-rpg-character-name dept.

Joan writes "Kaiser Permanente, the largest HMO in the U.S., has spent about $4 billion on an unreliable electronic medical record system that is impacting patient care, according to a 722-page internal report revealed by Computerworld. The CIO resigned after the news came out, and CEO George Halvorson is telling the media that the goal is an alarmingly low 99.5% uptime and that all the problems are really just power outages. Yesterday, Slashdot covered a story about the possibility that the NHS in the UK could now claim the 'biggest IT disaster' prize, but Americans, fear not: so far, the Brits are running a much more efficient failure at $24,000 per physician per year, while America's KP is spending $76,920 per physician, per year on its failing project."

12 of 342 comments (clear)

  1. maybe they can merge by yagu · · Score: 4, Funny

    Maybe they can merge the two projects (the Britain and the KP project) for greater efficiencies.

    1. Re:maybe they can merge by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 3, Funny

      While we're at it, let's combined the FBI, CIA, NSA and Defense Department IT departments into one nationwide organization and put FEMA in charge to manage that disaster.

    2. Re:maybe they can merge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hold on a second!
      He didn't mention the synergies that merging the two products would bring to the core competenancies of both organizations.

      Now that I have, can I get the job?

    3. Re:maybe they can merge by Phillup · · Score: 2, Funny

      I give...

      How is that different from how we do it now?

      --

      --Phillip

      Can you say BIRTH TAX
    4. Re:maybe they can merge by eclectro · · Score: 2, Funny

      The crossover of vertical integration between both systems will create a low pressure dynamic.

      In other words, it will suck. I should get the job.

      --
      Take the cheese to sickbay, the doctor should see it as soon as possible - B'Elanna Torres, "Learning Curve"
  2. well this obviously can't be right by bunions · · Score: 4, Funny

    The free market is more efficient than some socialist government project. There must be some error in the article.

    --
    there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
    1. Re:well this obviously can't be right by bunions · · Score: 5, Funny

      In a truly free market, incompetent doctors would put themselves out of business because all their patients would be dead - problem solved!

      --
      there is no need to sign your posts. this isn't usenet. your username is right there above your post. stop it.
  3. Re:Go USA! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Did you also no that the correct spelling of new that you want is knew?

    Jim

  4. Name of the software? by cybin · · Score: 2, Funny

    What's this software called? SickPeopleSoft? :)

  5. Re:Go USA! by bberens · · Score: 4, Funny

    US health service is second only to our education!

    --
    Check out my lame java blog at www.javachopshop.com
  6. Re:4 BILLion?!?!? by thomas.galvin · · Score: 2, Funny

    How the hell do you spend 4 billion dollars on software?

    A couple of their secretaries upgraded to Vista.

    --
    Thomas Galvin
  7. Re:Woo-Hoo! by arth1 · · Score: 2, Funny
    jbrader (697703) wrote:
    My medical paid all but $10 to have my wisdoms pulled. Of course I'm not a baby that wants general anesthetic and NO2 either.

    You mean you transcend dental medication?

    Regards,
    --
    *Art