Rideout CEO admits computer havoc

Rideout Health CEO Robert Chason acknowledged Thursday a shutdown of the facility's electronic record-keeping system wreaked internal havoc for the hospital and affiliated health care centers. And the disruption came as an inspection team from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals — a highly-sought-after certification standard in the industry — was visiting Rideout Memorial Hospital. The facility currently does not have that certification.

Rideout Health's electronic record-keeping system — shut down last week by a burned-out heating unit — was nearly fully operational again Thursday, Chason said.
"Nearly everything related to patient systems are up and running," he said. "The last one we are working on is the linear accelerator program at the Cancer Center. "We are hoping that by (Friday) we will have everything back up and running." Once the linear accelerator issue, which forced postponement of some radiation treatments, is resolved, it will enable the nonprofit's payroll to be completed, Chason said.