| With so many practices now converting to EMR and a | | | | without properly thinking about the connectivity issue, |
| large number of them using ASP programs, it is | | | | you are going to be less productive and frustrated with |
| important to understand some basics when it comes | | | | your IT environment. |
| to your internet infrastructure. All physician offices are | | | | Avoiding ASP Potholes |
| after a fast and Secure connection with all of their | | | | Most EMR solutions have great picture editing |
| devices. By not understanding the basics, you risk | | | | software and thousands of templates that if you are |
| spending thousands of dollars on an EMR product that | | | | an ASP user, all are pulled from a central remote |
| will be ill equipped to perform at its optimum level. | | | | server. I love ASP model EMR/PM systems and |
| Lacking the necessary throughput or bandwidth, will not | | | | prefer them over the more traditional client server |
| only slow your office down, but will also put your ASP | | | | model. There are a variety of reasons for my |
| and wireless applications at a greater risk of crashing. | | | | preference but the downside to an ASP application is |
| Throughput and Bandwidth, What do they mean to | | | | your reliance on the internet connection. This and off |
| me? | | | | site security/backups are always the biggest concerns |
| What do I mean by throughput? It is very simple. You | | | | when selecting an ASP EMR provider. The problem is |
| can think back to physics and fluid flow or fluid | | | | that although the software is great, you will be pulling |
| dynamics as might recall. The way your internet | | | | out what little hair you have left when your pictures |
| connection works is similar in many ways to the water | | | | are taking forever to load or worse your system |
| hose on the side of your house. The difference is that | | | | freezes in the middle of seeing a patient. |
| now your house and all other houses on your block | | | | How to avoid the ASP lag? |
| share the same underground supply line that has a 1"i.d. | | | | First off, avoid when finances and circumstances will |
| Imagine trying to water your yard at the same time | | | | permit, the use of DSL and cable service providers. |
| your neighbor four houses down is filling up his | | | | You cannot count on a speed with these providers |
| swimming pool, hope you have a book because you | | | | and in most cases they will not guarantee up time or a |
| are going to be there for a while. | | | | service interruption response time. If able a good |
| This illustration is similar to your internet connection in a | | | | solution would be a dedicated T1 or maybe two T1 |
| variety of ways. With Comcast's cable and | | | | lines if you have a large office. I personally use a few |
| At&t's DSL, you have probably been told that | | | | different providers and first see who can supply me |
| your speed will be up to X megabits per | | | | with the data connection then see who can give me |
| second(Mbps). Well, what does this mean to you? | | | | the best price. A dedicated T1 line will be in most |
| Glad that you asked, and the fact is that it doesn't | | | | cases much faster than the fastest cable connection |
| really mean anything to you, the guy who is just trying | | | | and will always provide you a consistent speed. |
| to water his lawn. I do not want to get into the speed | | | | Regardless of what service you use, keep your |
| or Mbps as much as I want to explain that your | | | | employees off of the internet and make it a big deal if |
| maximum download speed, which is what is most | | | | they are caught on it. Even better, and what I did for a |
| often advertised, does not mean much when talking | | | | recent client, is to disable the employees ability to |
| about consistent upload and download speeds. When | | | | access the internet from their stations. I designated |
| you are on the same line as your neighbor who | | | | one computer as our internet computer and it was not |
| streams videos and music all day, you cannot expect | | | | part of our internal network. If you only knew what you |
| to have a consistently fast internet connection. When | | | | open your data up to through the internet, you would |
| the guy next to you is converting to EMR, have you | | | | disable their access tomorrow. You also want to do |
| stopped to think about what that might do to your | | | | computer check ups that make sure there are not |
| connection speeds? What about the fact that your | | | | applications running behind the scenes using up |
| phones are using VOIP (which I love) technology and | | | | valuable bandwidth. |
| are also reliant on your internet speed? Bottom line, | | | | |