The Newfoundland and Labrador government is set to hold an update Friday afternoon with the latest on a debilitating cyberattack against the province’s digital health-care systems, and the struggle to recover.
Premier Andrew Furey — who is back in the province after a trip to the COP26 conference in Glasgow — will join Health Minister John Haggie and other officials at 2:30 p.m. NT.
The Newfoundland and Labrador health-care system continues to contend with damaged communications and information databases, and select services are slowly returning in the province’s four regional health authorities.
On Thursday, Health Minister John Haggie said the Meditech system used to facilitate core connectivity is coming back online in Eastern Health and Central Health, while Western Health plans to work on its network this weekend.
Some units are using digital systems, while others have reverted to paper methods.
Each regional health authority is providing a different level of service on Friday and heading into the weekend.
Family physicians across the province are continuing to operate. All four regional health authorities will continue providing emergency services, although patients may experience delays due to the IT disruptions.
The health authorities are also providing COVID-19 vaccinations and testing, although the test result portal is unavailable. Public Health says patients will be contacted if their test is positive, and if they don’t get a call after 72 hours they can assume their test is negative.
Eastern Health
In a statement Thursday night, Eastern Health said most of Friday’s non-emergency services have been cancelled.
“Patients and clients who have not been contacted directly, should assume that their appointments have been cancelled,” it said.
The health authority said it is rescheduling appointments and procedures based on the level of urgency, and is working on scheduling some procedures that can be safely performed. Eastern Health’s email system is operating.
Chemotherapy will be provided at a reduced capacity, although other elements of the provincial cancer-care program, like radiation, blood work and routine screenings, are cancelled.
Psychiatry clinics will resume Friday, although the health authority advised patients to contact their clinic before arriving for their appointment.
High-risk prenatal appointments, INR blood testing, in-person dialysis and maternal-fetal assessment appointments will continue, said Eastern Health.
Central Health
Central Health said it would be proceeding only with services not directly affected by the cyberattack.
The health authority said appointments would be rescheduled once the disruptions have been resolved.
In-person dialysis at James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre in Gander and Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre in Grand Falls-Windsor will go ahead.
Patients are advised to call ahead to confirm rehab and cardiopulmonary appointments and orthopedic outpatient appointments at the James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre. Orthopedic outpatient appointments at the Central Newfoundland Regional Health Centre have been cancelled.
Mental health and addictions services as well as midwifery care will proceed.
Blood work, medical imaging, endoscopy and mammograms are cancelled.
Western Health
For the most part, only emergency appointments will go ahead in the regional health authority until at least Tuesday, said Western Health in a statement Thursday.
The Meditech patient information system is still down in Western Health, and it is using a primarily paper-based system.
Western Health said it would contact patients who have appointments that are going ahead.
Only emergency appointments for surgery, endoscopy, blood collection, medical imaging, outpatient EKG and fracture clinics will be going ahead, and all other appointments will be rescheduled, according to Western Health.
Orthopedic central intake, pre-admission clinic, pain clinic and pap smear appointments will not go ahead because they require blood work or medical imaging, said the health authority. INR blood work will proceed.
Chemotherapy appointments at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital and Dr. Charles L. LeGrow Health Centre will proceed, while appointments at Western Memorial Hospital will proceed at a reduced capacity. Western Health said patients will be called directly to confirm.
Labrador-Grenfell Health
In its most recent statement, on Tuesday, Labrador-Grenfell Health said all routine laboratory and diagnostic appointments would be cancelled up to and including Friday. Oncology telehealth consultations with Eastern Health are cancelled.
The statement said other services will continue.
When asked for comment Friday morning, a spokesperson for Labrador-Grenfell Health said it would share an updated public service announcement Friday afternoon.
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