A major computer crash affecting Laval’s Cité de la Santé hospital, as well as health services in the Lanaudière and Laurentian regions, appeared to be resolved by mid-day Tuesday, although it was still unclear how it might continue impacting patients with blood test appointments.
On Monday, the Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) of Laval was asking the public to avoid the emergency room at Cité de la Santé until further notice, except in cases needing immediate intervention.
However, on Tuesday officials told CBC News that the broken fibre optics cable that affected several institutions, including Cité de la Santé, was fixed at around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday.
The CISSS was initially recommending that those with medical should seek help elsewhere for the time being, even though Cité de la Santé remained open to the public.
“Our teams are mobilized to maintain essential services and minimize the impact on the population,” the CISSS said on one of its social media feeds.
Although the emergency department at Cité de la Santé remained operational, many computers weren’t working, forcing staff to take notes on paper rather than digitally, which slowed down their work, according to the CISSS.
A fiber optic cable located north of Laval that was severed as a result of a road accident was the apparent cause of the computer systems failure, according to a Facebook post issued by Santé Québec Lanaudière.
The CISSS de Laval initially announced that it had cancelled all appointments scheduled for Tuesday morning at its blood collection centres, although it wasn’t clear whether the situation had changed.
“Our team will contact those affected to reschedule their appointments. Thank you for your understanding,” read a post shared on the CISSS’s social media.
At some facilities within the CISSS de Laval’s institutional network, staff were experiencing telephone problems Monday and Tuesday.
Incoming calls were reported as not working at the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital in Chomedey, the Sainte-Rose CLSC, the Louise-Vachon residence, the Centre hospitalier ambulatoire régional de Laval, and the Centre de réadaptation pour les jeunes en difficulté d’adaptation de Laval.
Patients are being advised to call 8-1-1 if they required services or clarifications about appointments, or 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.
