Up to 108 patients tested for hepatitis, HIV and cancer may be called back after system glitch at two Hong Kong public hospitals
- Technical fault could have produced wrong readings in machines at Princess Margaret and Tuen Mun hospitals
As many as 108 patients who underwent blood serum tests for hepatitis, HIV or cancer over the past year at two public hospitals in Hong Kong could be called back again after a system glitch was found in machines used for the procedures.
The software error could have been triggered under specific circumstances, causing inaccurate readings and wrong test results, according to the Hospital Authority, which announced the blunder on Sunday. This was five days after it was notified by equipment supplier Abbott Laboratories of the bug in its “Alinity ci-series System”.
Abbott Laboratories is an American health care company.
The system was said to be designed to help improve laboratory productivity and get test results faster through automation.
The authority bought a total of 13 machines and they have been in use since June last year at Prince of Wales Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital.
In a statement, the authority said: “The software problem may cause incorrect patient results if the equipment is stopped and then restarted under a particular start-up procedure.” But it did not go into further details.
A review of the system log and testing procedures showed that tests done at Prince of Wales Hospital were not affected, according to the authority.