Canadian Healthcare Technology Logo
  • Issues
    • Current Print Issue
    • Print Archive
  • Advertise
    • Publishing Schedule
    • Circulation
    • Unit Sizes and Rates
    • Mechanical Requirements
    • Electronic Advertising
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
    • Print Edition
    • e-Messenger
    • White Papers
  • Events
  • Vendors
  • About Us

GE [April2023]

GE [April2023]

Enovacom EPC

Enovacom EPC

Infrastructure

Power outage results in surgeries by flashlight

August 8, 2018


flashlightMONTREAL – A blackout that lasted nearly one hour at the Montreal University Health Centre affected surgical suites and resulted in surgeons using flashlights to finish operations that were already in progress. The blackout occurred in late July.

According to the Montreal Gazette, the flashlights were easy to find, because for the first six months after the superhospital opened in 2015, the McGill University Health Centre stocked the operating rooms with plenty of flashlights and batteries in case of feared blackouts.

Since its opening, the large facility has confronted a number of electrical problems, from faulty wiring in the ORs to power limitations that require the MUHC to shut off the air conditioning in the packed cafeteria and atrium during heat waves.

The darkened ORs quickly turned hot and stifling on July 23 as the power was also cut to the dedicated ventilation systems.

Following that blackout, MUHC officials launched a joint investigation with the private consortium in charge of maintaining the superhospital to determine the possible causes of the outage beyond a defective back-up generator.

Richard Fahey, director of human resources, communications and legal affairs at the MUHC, said that “because one of the 11 generators did not function properly, all adult ORs were without full power during 51 minutes.

“That being said, anesthesia machines and other equipment that had battery backup were operational,” he added. “Only two adult patients were in the ORs at the time of the power outage. All patients undergoing procedures during the power outage were informed that their procedures were completed with limited resources under the skillful hands of MUHC surgeons.”

According to the Gazette, there is mounting anger among senior MUHC managers toward Groupe immobilier de santé McGill (GISM), the private consortium headed by engineering firm SNC-Lavalin that installed the electrical system during the construction of the superhospital.

The MUHC public-private partnership was supposed to prevent any cost overruns, but the provincial government in January paid GISM $108 million, on top of the $1.3-billion contract, to settle a lawsuit.

The government settled with the consortium despite previous comments by Health Minister Gaétan Barrette that “this lawsuit is not based on justifiable grounds.”

The Montreal Gazette has also learned that employees at the Glen site have been complaining of headaches because the air exchanges are turned off overnight to save on electricity costs, leaving stale air throughout the complex of buildings. The MUHC is under tremendous pressure by Barrette to cut its deficit despite increasing clinical volumes.

PreviousNext

CHT print [900×150]

CHT print [900x150]

News and Trends

  • Ottawa’s health information demands will benefit patients
  • AI-powered tool on St. Michael’s surgical unit helps to improve care
  • Bots to help doctors reduce time spent on electronic records
  • Bissell Centre uses analytics to better understand client data
  • Canadian team is making ultrasound easier to use
More from the Print Edition

Subscribe

Subscribe

Free of charge to Canadian hospital managers and executives in nursing homes and home-care organizations. Learn More

Follow us on Social Media!

Follow us on Social Media!

Softworks

Softworks

Cdn Institute HCIwest

Cdn Institute HCIwest

Nihi Spring 2023

Nihi Spring 2023

Advertise with us

Advertise with us

Sectra [Feb]

Sectra [Feb]

Change Healthcare [2]

Change Healthcare [2]

Infoway [April2023]

Infoway [April2023]

Zebra [Mar2023]

Zebra [Mar2023]

RealTime

RealTime

CHT print [900×150]

CHT print [900x150]

Advertise with us

Advertise with us

Sectra [Feb]

Sectra [Feb]

Change Healthcare [2]

Change Healthcare [2]

Infoway [April2023]

Infoway [April2023]

Zebra [Mar2023]

Zebra [Mar2023]

RealTime

RealTime

Contact Us

Canadian Healthcare Technology
1118 Centre Street, Suite 207
Thornhill, Ontario, Canada L4J 7R9
Tel: 905-709-2330
Fax: 905-709-2258
info2@canhealth.com

  • Quick Links
    • Current Print Issue
    • Print Archive
    • Events
    • Vendors
    • About Us
  • Advertise
    • Publishing Schedule
    • Circulation
    • Unit Sizes and Rates
    • Mechanical Requirements
    • Electronic Advertising
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
    • Print Edition
    • e-Messenger
    • White Papers
  • Resources
    • White Papers
    • Writers’ Guidelines
    • Privacy Policy
  • Topics
    • Administrative Solutions
    • Clinical Solutions
    • Companies
    • Continuing Care
    • Diagnostics
    • Education & Training
  •  
    • Electronic Records
    • Government & Policy
    • Infrastructure
    • Innovation
    • People
    • Privacy and Security

© 2023 Canadian Healthcare Technology

The content of Canadian Healthcare Technology is subject to copyright. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. Send all requests for permission to Jerry Zeidenberg, Publisher.

Search Site

Error: Enter a search term

  • Issues
    • Current Print Issue
    • Print Archive
  • Advertise
    • Publishing Schedule
    • Circulation
    • Unit Sizes and Rates
    • Mechanical Requirements
    • Electronic Advertising
    • White Papers
  • Subscribe
    • Print Edition
    • e-Messenger
    • White Papers
  • Events
  • Vendors
  • About Us