Change in Daylight Saving Time May Cause Medical Device Errors

I guess the Department of Energy decided to have daylight savings time begin three weeks earlier this year (why, I couldn't tell you), but, as this kind of tinkering can have unexpected effects, it might prove a mini Y2K for hospital devices. From Medscape:

Medical equipment that uses, creates, or records time or date information about a patient's diagnosis or treatment may register the wrong dates for the start and end of DST when the changes are implemented, according to an alert sent Friday from MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program.

The FDA notes that most devices currently in use are likely to be affected, unless they were manufactured after the DST change was approved (Energy Policy Act of 2005) or have been updated by the manufacturer. Read more here

Don't forget to tune in Monday for the Carnival of the Green.