Monday, October 28, 2013

Choosing Right Hardware for your practice

One of the most frequent questions I get from practices selecting an EHR revolves around the IT hardware they should purchase. The first and foremost important piece of advice is to talk to your EHR vendor to determine the technical requirements of their system and any recommendations they have regarding hardware for your practice. In addition, ask if they resell any hardware and, if so, what the advantages are of purchasing directly through the vendor.

Before going any further, let me emphasize that any reference to specific companies and products is used only as an example and in no way indicates a recommendation or endorsement of the given product or company.

Laptops vs. Desktops
When considering if you want to use laptops or desktops in your exam room consider how you want to interact with the computer when you are with your patients. Many clinicians are concerned about how having a computer in the exam room will change their interaction with the patient. Dr. Brookstone in his AmericanEHR posting on “How to Integrate Computers Into Your Practice for Maximum Patient Benefit” and “The Occupational Side Effects of EHRs” outlines some important considerations.

Recognizing that different providers have different alternatives regarding the hardware that works best for them, try to allow for these preferences in your office design. For instance some practices assign exam rooms to each clinician. If this is the case in your practice you may consider different configurations in designated exam rooms. When looking at laptops, decide if you want a traditional laptop or one that has a touchscreen such as the HP ProBook Notebook or Toshiba’s Convertible Laptops. These allow the user to tap though a note without using a keyboard. Convertible laptops have been quite popular amongst many physicians and many emphasize the importance of weight and battery life.

Mobile Devices & Tablet Computers

The emergence of tablets like Apple’s iPad and Motorola’s Xoom have created a large buzz amongst healthcare providers, as they seem to offer a great new hardware solution for clinicians. When considering this type of device you will need to check with your EHR vendor to ensure they are supported and whether they offer full or just limited functionality. AmericanEHR Partners has more information on the way tables are accelerating Health IT adoption here.

Many clinicians also like the ability to use smartphones such as the iPhone or RIM Blackberry to access their EHR.  As with tablets you need to ensure that your EHR vendor supports these devices and understand the functionalities that are offered.
It is especially important to consider your practice’s privacy and security procedures for managing device that have access to personal health information (PHI) and how you will deal with a device being lost or stolen.  A number of companies offer solutions that enable you to remotely wipe (delete all data) on a devices in the event that it is lost or stolen.

Server
Linux vs. Windows
Most EHR vendors only support Microsoft OS servers. For those who have a choice, Linux/Unix systems are felt to be more stable (less prone to crashes) and fewer security issues than their Windows counterparts. However, it is far easier to find technical support for Windows servers.

Backup requirements
If you have a client-server EHR, you will need to have a redundant backup process in place for your system. This can be a tape, hard drive, or remote (over the Internet) backup. If you choose tape or hard drive backup, make sure to keep a copy of each backup offsite. Many EHR vendors are starting to offer remote backup options, which may be the easiest solution for most small practices.

Internet Connection
You will want to make sure you have a broadband (high-speed) Internet connection in your practice. This is especially important if you are using an ASP or web-based system. There are several types of broadband connections you can get for your practice; the most common are DSL, T-1 line, high speed cable, or broadband wireless: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband_Internet_access. Given the importance of Internet access to the operations of your practice, I recommend that you have a second alternative for Internet access. For instance, having a broadband cable line for daily use and wireless Internet access from a cell phone company.

If your practice uses laptops or other mobile devices, you will likely want to consider using wireless Internet instead of, or in addition to, a wired connection. When choosing wireless, ensure the highest bandwidth router possible (typically 802.11n wireless Internet routers) and make sure that you have a secure wireless network to access your practice data and computer system.

Hardware and Technical Support

One of the most important things to consider when purchasing IT hardware is the warrantees and technical support. When implementing an IT project of the scale required for an EHR implementation you will either want to hire a technical support staff, or contract with a company for IT support (this can be your EHR vendor if they resell/support hardware). When contracting with an external firm you should specify the levels of support and how quickly problems will be resolved. In a recent blog post, AmericanEHR User Comments on Hardware Support, members of AmericanEHR share their experiences with hardware support. links and important online study material that could help them understand and work on their condition better.

30 comments:

Unknown said...

Choosing the right EMR plays an important role in running the practice reliable and smooth. EMR's should be latest, user friendly and accessible.
http://www.medicalbillingservices.cc

Unknown said...

Great post i have seen ever :)
clean master apk latest version free download | picsart apk for android free download

Unknown said...

yes to work with right choice is the main thing to do before working nice work
Quick Heal Total Security 2015 Product Key & Crack

Unknown said...

Thanks for putting all this effort into writing such rich, informative posts.
Crack Software Download

Unknown said...

Wow!! i am very impressed with your lovely post.. I am so glad to left comment on this..This has been a so interesting read, would love to read more here

Medical Shop Software

Anonymous said...

All the new techniques of ehr shared here really amazed me and give me a lot of information. I agree that training is very important to recognize the full potential of electronic health record software. Thank you!

Radha Manju said...

You have done really a good job. I like your post. Thanks for the informative post

Medical Shop Software | Healthcare Software Companies 

Unknown said...

Great blog all the information are really awesome and great well done.

Outsourcing Services in USA

Bombay Computers said...

Great info on selecting a system.

Macbook repair Mumbai
laptop repair Mumbai
Macbook screen repair Mumbai
Data recovery Mumbai
Macbook Pro & Air repair Mumbai

Mercy Desouza said...

acer laptop service center mumbai
dell laptop service center goregaon
macbook battery and charger replacement near me andheri
lenovo repair store near me kurla west
toshiba laptop repairing near me bandra
hp laptop service center andheri east
sony laptop repair center jogeshwari west
samsung laptop service center santacruz

Shahid Ali said...

thank you for sharing this.
laptop screen repair in andheri east
laptop hinges repair hp lenovo dell acer sony
laptop battery shop or store in mumbai
laptop keyboard replacement cost in mumbai
lenovo laptop repair center in andheri
hp laptop repair center in bandra east
dell laptop repair in goregaon west
hp laptop repair in jogeshwari east
Lenovo laptop repair service center malad west
Lenovo laptop repair center near wadala

Anonymous said...

spanish drivers license
italian driving license
german driver license
irish drivers license
international drivers license
united states id cards
canada id cards online
UK id cards online
German id cards
renewal of passports
renewal of id cards online
visa renewal online
resident permit renewal
drivers license renewal
buy real saudi riyal online
buy real canadian dollars online
buy real australian dollars online
buy real chinese yuan online
buy real real pakistani rupee
buy real dubai dirham online

LINDA PARKER said...

buy documents online
buy drivers license online
buy real documents online
genuine passport for sale
toefl certificate
buy residence permits online
buy fake birth certificate online
buy genuine passports and visa online
buy genuine visa online
Buy id cards online
buy genuine documents uk
Buy genuine banknotes
buy real and fake id cards online
buy genuine documents online
buy genuine driving license
buy real genuine banknotes online
TOEFl Certificate
united states passport
canadian passport online
european passports online
asia passports online
middle east passports
united states drivers license
uk drivers license
canada drivers license

certified doc.online said...

buy weed online
buy cannabis oil online
thc vape pen cartridges online
buy cannabis concentrates online
buy marijuana edibles
medical marijuana dispensary
medical marijuana online
marijuana edibles online
marijuana infused products
buy pre rolled weed joints
buy marijuana strain
moon rocks weed strain
cannabis wax concentrates
marijuana concentrates online
cannabis concentrates online
og kush vape cartridge
og kush cartridge
royal kush cartridge
buy khalifa kush online
sugar black rose marijuana seeds
blackberry kush marijuana strain
khalifa kush shop
og kush indica cartridge
og kush for sale
khalifa kush wax
og kush oil
khalifa kush shatter
black sugar weed strain
royal cartridges oil

cerified said...

jack herer co2 oil cartridges for sale
king pen jack herer
kingpen skywalker og
jack herer king pen
pineapple afghani
khalifa kush near me
kingpen trainwreck
khalifa kush pen
skywalker og kingpen
khalifa kush for sale
bhang cartridge
bhang cartridges
tangerine haze strain
platinum bubba kush
thin mint gsc
platinum bubba kush flowering time
buy khalifa kush
quantum kush strain
royal oil cartridges
khalifa kush online
buy medical marijuana online
cannabis oil online order
online weed store
online order weed
weed ordr online



Ragupathi selvam said...

Really awesome blog bro keep sharing
Data recovery in chennai

alex24hpharma said...

Nice work...! also you can know about
buy Lorazepam online
buy Codeine cough syrup online
buy adderall online
Buy Morphine Online
buy OxyContin online

alex24hpharma said...

Great blog, also you can know about

Buy Actavis cough Syrup Online
buy Codeine online with bitcoin
buy adderall online

kagira said...

its very interesting post !
Smart plant 3d course training in chennai

Anonymous said...

It is really interesting read.
space monkey meds supply
buy pre-rolls with bitcoins
buy moon rocks with bitcoins
order gelato kush online

Anonymous said...

PERFECT!!!
space monkey meds supply
buy pre-rolls with bitcoins
buy moon rocks with bitcoins
order gelato kush online

Certified Weed Store said...

Useful information.
buy blackberry marijuana online
buy pre-rolls with bitcoins
order gelato kush online
buy vape pens with paypal

SyntaxConsult said...

PERFECT!!!
buy registered drivers license
how to get a medicare card
buy passport online
genuine passport for sale

SyntaxConsult said...

Great blog you have got here..
buy registered drivers license
how to get a medicare card
buy passport online
genuine passport for sale

MedicalWeedsOnline said...

Thanks for sharing this useful info. Keep updating same way.
buy blackberry marijuana online
wholesale space monkey meds supply online 
space monkey meds supply
buy cbd isolates with bitcoins 
big smokey farms tins uk
order gelato kush online 

MedicalWeedsOnline said...

Great blog you have got here..
buy cbd isolates with bitcoins 
big smokey farms tins uk
order gelato kush online 
order sunset sherbet online
buy gelato strain online
Buy weed with bitcoins 


MedicalWeedsOnline said...

our blog is educational and effortlessly your rule is very good.Thank you
buy cbd isolates with bitcoins 
big smokey farms tins uk
order gelato kush online 
order sunset sherbet online
buy gelato strain online
Buy weed with bitcoins 


Anonymous said...

Extraordinary blog you have here..
buy face mask online
wholesale face mask online
buy nitrile gloves online
wholesale medical suppliers

Ragupathi selvam said...

yeah its very useful post !
Asset Mangament Software

Ronny Osbourne said...

Laptop Screen Replacement in Mumbai
Hp Laptop Screen Replacement in Malad
Dell Laptop Screen Repair in Mumbai
Laptop SSD Upgrade in Mumbai
Dell Laptop Battery Replacement Mumbai

Post a Comment