Lexington-based University of Kentucky Health is "fully operational," officials announced Sept. 26, after software issues prompted the health system to divert some patients who arrived by emergency medical services, according to local NBC affiliate LEX18.
UK Healthcare's registration system began experiencing issues Sept. 23 after a routine software update. While some patients were rerouted to other hospitals out of an "abundance of care," the health system continued to admit critical patients as well as pediatric, trauma and burn patients.
With complications to admit new patients for the past four days, UK Healthcare turned to paper documentation. Additionally, the health system increased its number of staff on duty to help with operational efficiencies.
"Handwritten notes are fine but they just don't give us the efficiency that we need with an electronic system," UK Healthcare's Chief Medical Information Officer Philip Bernard said to LEX18 on Sept. 25. "We continue to take care of our patients in the way that we continue to expect at the University of Kentucky, with the greatest quality. It's just a precaution we slowed down the number of patients that we're taking here while our efficiency is slow."