tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20382865.post2251963328025208878..comments2023-05-19T05:11:35.329-04:00Comments on Dr. Greiver's EMR: Having an IT administratorMichelle Greiverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15528486116262255346noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20382865.post-16096655649689774172007-06-26T00:37:00.000-04:002007-06-26T00:37:00.000-04:00A ton of interesting points here.Isn't it great th...A ton of interesting points here.<BR/><BR/>Isn't it great that a device that is suppose to support against failures (UPS) is what actually causes the failure? Always the irony of added redundancy.<BR/><BR/>I've always pointed out that having a reliable and quality technical person is important. Yes, I am biased since I'm a technical person, but it's amazing how much doctors want quality technical people. I don't actually want extra work since it takes me away from my family. However, when I do the work I charge huge amounts of money, because the doctors don't want to trust their server, network, etc to someone else. They are more than willing to pay a premium for someone they trust and someone who knows what they're doing.<BR/><BR/>As far as the normal updates, I've personally considered creating a monthly service for doctors that would do just what you described. Thanks for showing that this is a real need.<BR/><BR/>PCs in the waiting rooms are great. Our patients love it. We are now taking it to the next level where we capture all their initial paperwork including electronic signatures(like walmart). Certainly saves a lot of work for the front desk.<BR/><BR/>Those reports are awesome. You should really consider purchasing a version of Crystal reports. In most cases you can connect it right to your EMR and automate the reporting you just did. I think you'll be amazed at what Crystal Reports can do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20382865.post-31230263987774310582007-05-14T20:57:00.000-04:002007-05-14T20:57:00.000-04:00Thanks, Alan. What worries me is the many offices...Thanks, Alan. What worries me is the many offices without the in-house expertise. The majority of family physicians in Ontario are solo. The physician may not necessarily be able to be the in-house IT expert; the secretary may not either. <BR/><BR/>It takes time to fix problems; it takes less time if you know a bit about what you are doing. Phone support may not be enough if the physician is running behind; the problem may be left unfixed.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps a larger office is more likely to have in-house expertise, and redundancy to deal with problems as they occur; I don't really know. <BR/><BR/>I don't know what the answer is for small offices with "average" IT knowledge; I do know that what we have now is not enough. Just imagine your situation in the office of one of your colleagues who has no idea of how to open a server.<BR/><BR/>EMR companies are better at software support than hardware support. I have found that sometimes a knowledgeable university student can fix things for me. <BR/><BR/>MichelleMichelle Greiverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15528486116262255346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20382865.post-25372311360431106862007-05-14T00:25:00.000-04:002007-05-14T00:25:00.000-04:00Michelle, this is a significant problem in both sm...Michelle, this is a significant problem in both small and larger physician practices. I had a similar situation a couple of years ago when a power supply in my server failed. Fortunately, I was sufficiently well prepared that I had an additional power supply on site (not exactly the same wattage, however I was able to open the server and install the power supply myself). It is still up and running 2 years later. However when the server shut down, there was a huge amount of panic in my office, including a backup of my patients in the waiting room, as I took the hour to install the power supply. Thankfully it worked. That was a horrible day. However it highlights the need for some technical expertise in-house (one of the physicians or staff) and a good IT support company or individual who clearly understands the setup and needs of that particular office.<BR/><BR/>Alan BrookstoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com