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( BW)(CA-KAISER-PERMANENTE) Statement from Kaiser Permanente Northern
California Regarding Pharmacy Computer Problem

    Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

    OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 2003--On Thursday, March 13,
Kaiser Permanente Northern California's pharmacy computer system experienced
a power outage that may have resulted in labeling errors on some of the
medications dispensed that day. Almost all of the 4,700 patients issued
prescriptions that day have been reached through extensive efforts over the
past few days. Kaiser Permanente continues to contact the remaining paitents
through telephone calls, courier-delivered letters and in some cases,
personal home visits. There have been no adverse patient reactions to date.
    Anyone with a prescription filled at a Kaiser Permanente Northern
California pharmacy on March 13 should

    1. not take the medicine

    2. call the pharmacy telephone number (not the refill number) on
    the bottle.

    Important note: people should call the pharmacy only if their
prescription is dated March 13 and issued in Northern California. Please do
not call if these two criteria are not true. It is very important that the
pharmacy telephone lines be kept available for the patients who are holding
the March 13 prescriptions.

    Background data:
 

--  A total of 4,700 patients who received refill prescriptions dated March
13 were possibly affected by a labeling error.
--  As of late afternoon on Sunday, March 16, 97 percent of those with
possibly affected prescriptions had been contacted.
--  Outreach to affected patients is being conducted through automated
telephone calls, courier-delivered letters and, in some cases, personal home
visits. Outreach will continue until each affected patient has spoken with a
Kaiser Permanente pharmacist.
--  The potential prescription errors could be anything from a wrong
prescription number to incorrect instructions about use, to the wrong drug
itself.

    Kaiser Permanente has been in touch with the Department of Managed
Health Care, its regulator, to report the incident and the steps that are
being taken to ensure the safety of the patients.
 

    --30--WAM/la*

    CONTACT: Kaiser Permanente Northern California
             Lea Rubio/Kathleen Barco, 510/987-3900

    KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA
    INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PHARMACEUTICAL MEDICAL PRODUCT
    SOURCE: Kaiser Permanente