I am in charge of coming up with a risk plan for the y2k problem. In this plan I need to have a worst scenario if anyone have any Ideas that could be of any help I would be most grateful.

-- Bob Walker (bobwalker_is@hotmail.com), May 11, 1998

Answers

Here are some websites you might look at that deal with problems in the healthcare field due to Y2K:

www.house.gov/ways_means/oversite/testmony/5-7-98/5-7jack.htm

www.afr.com.au/content/980420/survey/survey8.html

www.amcity.com/pittsburgh/stories/042798/focus3.html

.............

-- Dan Hunt (dhunt@hostscorp.com), May 11, 1998.

There isn't a worst-case scenario for healthcare! The worst is that Nature cooks up some new plague like Ebola but infectious enough to become a pandemic. Then most of us die, Y2K or no Y2K.

It's pretty hard to think of a worst Y2K scenario as well; the doom-mongers have some pretty scary ideas for this.

Realistically you might consider:

(a) a serious water-treatment failure, and consequent re-emergence of dysentery or cholera.

(b) the impact of longer-term electricity failures than normally planned for; hospitals without even emergency power, folks becoming hyperthermic (or is that hypo - they are opposites, though if there are still power troubles in summer '2000 ...) Anyway, dangerously ill because of the cold. Add in a flu pandemic if you really want to make this tough.

(c) A crippled pharmaceuticals industry, severe shortages or complete non-availability of drugs.

(You did ask for worst cases!)

-- Nigel Arnot (nra@maxwell.ph.kcl.ac.uk), May 12, 1998.

One worst case scenario is that if things are really bad, there won't be enough health care providers to handle all the potential medical emergencies. Especially, if you consider that physicians, paramedics, RNs, EMTs, etc. are just as likely to become ill if a disease like the flu were to become pandemic. If you really begin to think about all the potential "worst case scenarios" , and how it could affect the EMS system, or just normal healthcare it truly boggles the mind.

I don't think any hospital today could handle even 50 cases of hypothermia on any one particular night, never mind 75 or 100 or more cases...and this would be in addition to any other patients coming in for treatment. That would amount to a Mass Casulaty Incident, except they all might not be at the same location. Could even a fire department handle that many EMS calls in a period of eight hours? Also add a few auto collisions, house fires, gunshot victims, etc. to the equation, and a town or cities EMS system might not be able to handle it all. This is assuming some very bad things occur because of the century date change. Something to think about...

Also throw into the equation no phones( i.e. no 911 ), no power, and haywire medical equipment because of embedded chips...I could go on and on...

Call your local hospital and/or fire department and ask when the last time a town ar citywide hazmat/MCI drill was held. Chances are they haven't had one in awhile, if at all.

So you may ask yourself what does this guy know about the Emergency Medical Services system? Well, probably not as much as some people, but I have studied to be an EMT, and I have gone out on calls with a fire departments paramedics. I also took part in one smaller hospitals hazmat/MCI drill. And from what I could see they needed more training, and more MCI exercises.

A worst case scenario could be beyond most peoples capability to imagine.

The moral of the story is learn some basic first aid, and CPR. It could save someones life, even in a world without Y2k problems...

-- Frank Anderson, Jr. (Zanazaz@Earhlink.net), May 16, 1998.

On 11May Paloma O'Riley said that the Dutch company that makes 70% of the world's insulin will be shutting down production 31Dec99. I have yet to find verification, I'm assuming she will get back to me on this though since it was stated in a public meeting in Eugene, OR.

The very worst case scenarios would be the use of the 20 ton stockpiles of altered smallpox, and altered hemorragic fevers the Russians have stockpiled in Eastern Siberia.

-- Mitchell Barnes (spanda@inreach.com), May 16, 1998.

Hold onto your hats folks, but THERE ARE alternatives to modern day medicine. Most people who "lurk" on these forums are of the investigative mind. They want more information before they decide what action to take. Information is crucial. Information is NOW "KING". You can no longer depend on the system you now believe in. This system is going to suffer. However, there ARE ALTERNATIVES to modern medicine as we know it. They are OLDER THAN MODERN MEDICINE by right of patents, documentation, etc. We are having to deal with life and death situations when it comes to our future. It only makes sense to look into what other alternatives are available.

What I am about to offer is only one of MANY ALTERNATIVES. Look into it. Decide for yourselves if it has merit. If you like what you see, then do more research on it to verify that YOU DO INDEED HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, and by the way, it won't kill you in the process, unlike many ALLOPATHIC prescriptions. My very best to all of you!

http://www.resonate.org/etllc/index.htm

-- Bingo (habatat@rof.net), June 20, 1998.

Hold onto your hats folks, but THERE ARE alternatives to modern day medicine. Most people who "lurk" on these forums are of the investigative mind. They want more information before they decide what action to take. Information is crucial. Information is NOW "KING". You can no longer depend on the system you now believe in. This system is going to suffer. However, there ARE ALTERNATIVES to modern medicine as we know it. They are OLDER THAN MODERN MEDICINE by right of patents, documentation, etc. We are having to deal with life and death situations when it comes to our future. It only makes sense to look into what other alternatives are available. What I can offer is only one of MANY ALTERNATIVES. Look into it. Decide for yourselves if it has merit. If you like what you see, then do more research on it to verify that YOU DO INDEED HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, and by the way, it won't kill you in the process, unlike many ALLOPATHIC prescriptions. My very best to all of you! And if you have questions...please send them to me via email.

http://www.resonate.org/etllc/index.htm

-- Bingo (habatat@rof.net), June 20, 1998.

Hold onto your hats folks, but THERE ARE alternatives to modern day medicine. Most people who "lurk" on these forums are of the investigative mind. They want more information before they decide what action to take. Information is crucial. Information is NOW "KING". You can no longer depend on the system you now believe in. This system is going to suffer. However, there ARE ALTERNATIVES to modern medicine as we know it. They are OLDER THAN MODERN MEDICINE by right of patents, documentation, etc. We are having to deal with life and death situations when it comes to our future. It only makes sense to look into what other alternatives are available. What I can offer is only one of MANY ALTERNATIVES. Look into it. Decide for yourselves if it has merit. If you like what you see, then do more research on it to verify that YOU DO INDEED HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, and by the way, it won't kill you in the process, unlike many ALLOPATHIC prescriptions. My very best to all of you!

http://www.resonate.org/etllc/index.htm

-- Bingo (habatat@rof.net), June 20, 1998.