EHR Technology

EHR/EMR News and Healthcare IT Updates from Around the Web for the Week of July 6, 2012

Published on July 6, 2012 by Marty Briggs in Cloud Computing Benefits. 0 Comments
EHR/EMR, Healthcare IT and Medical News from around the Internet 7-6-2012

We hope everyone had a wonderful Independence Day, and enjoyed everything July 4th celebrations have to offer. Needless to say, it has been a slow week in the world of healthcare IT and EHR/EMR news because of the midweek holiday. However, due to the recent power outages on the east coast, data security and disaster recovery strategies have come into question.

EHR/EMR Data Security and Disaster Recovery

Web-based, cloud computing software offers significant benefits to the healthcare industry, allowing quick, easy access to computing and large data storage facilities. And, best of all, none of the equipment has to be hosted on-site or in-house, everything resides on the Internet, in the cloud. With the benefits over in-house, client server software and the adoption of EHRs/EMRs, it is no wonder that cloud software is expected to dominate the healthcare market. Continue reading…

Cloud-Based vs. Client Server — What Is the Best EHR Infrastructure?

Published on December 30, 2011 by Seth Flam DO in EHR Technology. 0 Comments
Cloud-based EHR vs. Client-server EHR

MediTouch® is an EHR based on HealthFusion’s® private Pure Cloud® technology. Our team had a choice when we developed the MediTouch EHR®. We could have adopted either the more traditional client-server model or the more modern Web-based, cloud infrastructure. For our team the choice was simple – The Cloud won hands down. The purpose of this blog is to discuss why we made the decision to develop our physician office software: EHR, billing, scheduling, clearinghouse, and patient portal based on MediTouch® Pure Cloud® technology. I will also try to review what some of the proponents of client-server systems promote as benefits, and evaluate the merits of the client-server case.

Since we are pitting our cloud technology, Pure Cloud®, against the traditional client-server model in a battle for the best EHR platform, I thought it would be helpful to research what others are saying about the benefits of each system. I simply Googled “cloud vs. client server EHR” and reviewed the first group of entries. You can do the same. The first 4 entries included 2 blogs from authors that did not seem to have a pre-formed opinion, one blog from a company that sells only client-server EHRs, and another company that seems to be pushing the cloud.

In a cloud-based EHR system, a practice’s data is stored on external servers and can be accessed via the Web, requiring only a simple computer with an Internet connection. In the case of MediTouch® that computer can be Mac® or Windows®, desktop or laptop, Windows® tablet or iPad®. Continue reading…

iOS 5 Is Here, and So Are the Benefits for MediTouch® Users

Published on October 7, 2011 by Marty Briggs in EHR Technology. 0 Comments
iOS5

Steve Jobs

Before we begin the content of today’s blog, like most users of Apple® technology, we mourn the death of Steve Jobs. His inventiveness has been an inspiration to all members of the MediTouch® Team, we will all miss him, but we also remain confident that the iPad® will remain a great solution for healthcare providers.

On Tuesday, October 4th, Apple® held their highly anticipated Let’s Talk iPhone® event with newly crowned CEO Tim Cook. Tim began his keynote address by touting many of the statistics we at HealthFusion® have been emphasizing:

  • The iPad® is the #1 undisputed tablet in the world, accounting for three quarters of all tablets sold
  • iOS is the #1 mobile operating system in the world, accounting for 43% of the market
  • CEO Tim Cook stated, “Over 80 percent of the hospitals in the US are now testing or piloting iPads®.”

While the throngs of Mac® devotees tuned into the event may have been a bit discouraged by the lack of an iPhone® 5, we at HealthFusion® were excited to see the final iteration of the iOS 5 mobile operating system, available for free download to the general public starting October 12th. As we discussed in a previous blog post, iOS 5 Coming this Fall — What Does It Mean for MediTouch® Users?, as certified iPad® developers, we have been privileged to have the opportunity to preview and test Apple’s® new iOS 5. All of the iOS 5 features we forecasted in our previous blog have come to fruition, most with capabilities that have surpassed our expectations, but there is one additional feature we believe will benefit our MediTouch® users — HTML 5 Rich Text Editor. Continue reading…

iOS 5 Coming this Fall — What Does It Mean for MediTouch® Users?

Published on August 31, 2011 by Marty Briggs in EHR Technology. 0 Comments
Apple iOS 5 for iDevices

At the recent Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) earlier this summer, Apple® and Steve Jobs announced the upcoming release of their newest operating system, iOS 5, coming this fall. With over 200 new features built into iOS 5, this release is far from just iteration.

The iPad® development team at HealthFusion® is following the new iOS changes closely, and we are reviewing each exciting new feature. As certified iPad® developers, we have been privileged to have the opportunity to preview and test Apple’s® new iOS 5. The new operating system has many new features; most of them will make playing on the iPad® more fun, but a few will enhance the MediTouch® user experience. The operating system upgrade due out in the fall will work with the iPad® or iPad2®. Continue reading…

Working in the Cloud — Advantages of a Cloud-Based EHR

Published on August 17, 2011 by Marty Briggs in EHR Technology. 0 Comments
cloud-computing-purecloud

The terms cloud-based, cloud software, cloud-computing, in the cloud, and a bevy of other “cloud” phrases have slowly permeated everyday language. In fact, many businesses have been using cloud-based software for years, such as MediTouch®, and only now are the industry giants, like Apple® and Amazon®, adopting the cloud-based language and software. But what does all this terminology really mean? Essentially, all of the “cloud terminology” means the same thing – the software and associated files are stored on an off-site data server hosted by the software provider or another third-party, making all software and files accessible anywhere there is an internet connection; these days that’s just about everywhere.

Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems essentially fall into two categories: client-server or cloud-based. A cloud-based EHR system stores a practice’s data on external servers that can be accessed through any internet connection. On the other hand, client-based systems store data in-house, meaning a data server, hardware, and software must be purchased, maintained, and stored directly in the physician’s practice. As a rule of thumb, anything “cloud” related applies to web-based software and file storage; the two terms are essentially interchangeable. While client-based EHRs used to be the norm, many practices are now converting to, or opting for cloud-based EHR offerings due to the many advantages. Continue reading…

1 2 3   Next »