October 31, 2021 – St. John’s, NL: Eastern Health is advising the public that emergency services only will be proceeding on Monday, November 1, 2021 as a result of a province-wide IT outage affecting some of its operational, clinical and administrative systems.
Eastern Health continues to implement back up plans and is focused on the delivery of emergency care as the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information (NLCHI), in collaboration with Bell, the managed service provider, works to resolve the situation, along with other regional health authorities and the Department of Health and Community Services.
Eastern Health staff are working diligently to adjust processes to ensure patient safety. The public is asked to continue to be patient, as many services, including those in Emergency Departments, may experience unexpected or unavoidable delays.
- All non-urgent outpatient blood collection appointments for Monday, November 1, 2021 are cancelled.
- All non-urgent medical imaging (x-ray, ultrasound, mammography) appointments for Monday, November 1, 2021 are cancelled.
Patients may not be contacted directly to have their appointments rescheduled, as some patient contact information is not accessible at this time. Patients who have questions regarding appointments, procedures and surgeries scheduled for Monday, November 1, 2021 may call the following temporary patient inquiries line: 1-833-777-1276.
The following services will proceed on Monday, November 1, 2021:
- In-person dialysis at all locations throughout the region
- Community-based services, including Home Support, Special Assistance Program and Direct Home Services
- Mental Health and Addictions community counselling services
- All Influenza and COVID-19 vaccination clinics
- Maternal-Fetal Assessment Unit appointments
Patients who attend appointments at private doctors’ clinics are encouraged to check with those clinics directly.
Individuals who may require assistance are advised to call the 811 Healthline, call their primary care provider’s office or, for emergencies, proceed to the nearest emergency department.
Please be advised that email and some phone systems, including the Client Relations line are also affected by this outage. Work is underway to restore phone service as soon as possible.
All Eastern Health staff are required to report to work as usual whether they are scheduled to work on-site or remotely.
Eastern Health is committed to keeping the public informed about this unanticipated disruption in services. Updates will be provided as information becomes available via Eastern Health’s website at www.easternhealth.ca and social media platforms, Facebook (www.facebook.com/EasternHealthNL) and Twitter (@EasternHealthNL).
Eastern Health apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and thanks the public for their patience.
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