Updated on Centrino Tabletpc 2003


 

Wireless Tablet/Notebook/PDA for Medical Business Applications: 1999

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Healthcare institutions exist to
help people get well and stay well,
but this critical mission is often
hampered by all the paperwork:
from admissions to patient
records, from billing to insurance
reports. These records are essential.
The time spent keeping them
is not. 

Healthcare utilizes some of the best and worst technology. The system for recording a patient
encounter has not changed much since the turn of the last century. Healthcare is an industry that is highly inefficient, plagued with OVER utilization, duplication, high administrative costs, no quality assurance plan, no continuity of care, excessive paperwork and a complex and outdated billing system.

Today, thanks to innovative
networking technology, you
can help reduce the paperwork
and free up health care professionals
to do what they do best
 care for people.

October 1999

The Challenge:

Creating a Fast, Accurate Information Retrieval System without Increasing Expenditures
High-Performance Application Access From Anywhere in the office
Simplified, Centralized Application Deployment, accessing the server software from anywhere in the office up to 300 feet.
Centralizing Patient Information for a relatively Decentralized Office environment
Cost-Effective Computing no need for desktop computer in every location
Leveraging the Existing Computing Infrastructure to Control Costs, increase Efficiency

The Benefits:

Access to Mission-Critical Information Anywhere, Any Time 
Mission-Critical Information: When You Need it. Where You Need it.
Universal Application Access in an Environment of Heterogeneous Clients
Providing Instant Access to Critical Patient Information in a Mobile Computing Environment
Eyes-Only Security Ensures Patient Confidentiality
The confidential nature of patient records is kept secure, accurate and up to date because only one set of data is manipulated. Although more than one user can access the EMRs at a time, all changes to the records are kept on the server, thereby maintaining the data's integrity. In contrast, paper-based systems are harder to keep current if more than one doctor sees the same patient.

Communication is not the only thing, it is everything.  

This is especially true in the health field, where life and death, sickness and health, can be contingent on communication or lack of it. The device should connect to the physician's practice management system to check patient information and record visits. While at the hospital, the device should connect to the hospital's information systems to obtain lab results or enter orders. Whether it is the emergency room of a hospital, writing a prescription to the pharmacy, or a simple patient encounter in the office, communication is paramount. Computers facilitate communication.

 October 1999

I have owned multiple TabletPC in the past, including Grid Convertible, Fujitus Stylistic, IBM 360-P, Dauphin Orasis. Pound for pound, this Fujitsu is the best. This 3 lb., color, touch screen, pen unit, enables me to execute a patient encounter with all the added benefits of a Windows OS, Office Professional Software, and robust applications. (Finding good medical software is another subject).

I can send email (Outlook) and print to the front desk before the patient leaves the treatment room. I opt to use a wireless  high-speed IEEE 802.11b (11 Mbit/s) connection (not BlueTooth), to my server that allows me to roam my entire office 2500 sq.feet. Simultaneously, other staff members, can complete (share) the insurance information and patient matriculation, while I am in the patient file, entering exam and soap findings. 

I installed Pen Office (www.paragraph.com) and can write directly on the screen and the program will convert handwriting or printing into text! This machine, is essentially a tablet with a keyboard.

With Voice Dictation,(L&H Voice Xpress) I have the option of verbalizing information and commands directly into my application of choice. (con:generally the smaller the notebook the more artifact noise resulting in less quality).

I have a "shared," DSL modem that I wirelessly link with, that allows me to roam my office and surf the web at DSL broadband speeds! Medscape, Merck, National Library of Medicine and other resources are a click away. I use my own website as a reference tool, showing my patients pictures and other educational material while on line. At their request, a printout of what I have just shown them awaits their arrival at the front desk. Optionally, they can go home, get on the internet, pull up my URL and print what they want. Optionally, matriculation and history forms are available on line for technically advanced patients.

Faxing: When reports are ready to be sent, I need only to print to Winfax Pro 10. When I later plug a phone line into my built in modem, the reports are cued and Winfax sends it out.

Now, my main compromise is finding a shirt pocket to hold it. (like my handheld).

Oh yes, I can also sync my Palm or Ce via IR, USB, wireless or serial ports. 

  • Only 3.08 lbs. for easy ambulation
  • Touch Screen and or pen capabilities for easy navigation, as well as take advantage of medical applications utilizing touch pictures and diagrams
  • Pen Office for writing directly in my applications (add on).
  • Voice dictation if desired (add on). I am using L&H Voice Express Professional with built in mic on notebook (small notebooks have internal noise which affects quality of voice).
  • A 10.4" TFT display 
  • keyboard for times when typing is a must
  • Fully-integrated 56K V.90 modem
  • Integrated Ethernet LAN  for connecting to LAN or  hook into an external DSL modem!
  • 400MHz Intel® Celeron™ processor
  • Microsoft® Windows® 98 pre-installed, I am upgrading to 2000
  • Optional USB digital camera
  • 64Ram, I upgraded to 128
  • 6 gig hard drive
  • 3 hours of battery (fully re-charge at lunch ....when on standby).

caveat: No cd rom. User must network to CD or buy external CD ROM. This is necessary to keep the weight down.

December 1999

1. Notebook $1799
2. PC card  $152 for notebook
3. PC card  $152 for server
4. ISA/PCI card recipient for #3 card   $59

Total for ad hoc Wireless connection, in November 99, with Notebook: $2162.

The ideal solution is:
1. Access Point
2. PC card in each device (notebook/tablet/Pocketpc

 

  WaveLAN IEEE Turbo 11Mb PC Card (Silver/Gold)

11Mb PC Card for Notebook or CE device

 

WaveLAN IEEE Turbo 11Mb ISA/PCI Solution 

11Mb ISA/PCI Solution for Desktop Server

Summary:

I have been using a Lucent RG-1000 80211.b Wireless Access point on a pen notebook computer by Fujitsu. I have been using this setup since November of 1999 and it has worked quite well in a 2500 foot office. The notebook serves as a tablet but with the added benefit of a keyboard. I can't imagine not having a keyboard available even though I don't use it most of the time. My notebooks is wirelessly connected to my office DSL which means I am always on line. I use my notebook as a server for "some" applications. This allows me to just take the notebook home and have all my critical files with me. I use my web site as an educational repository of pictures and exercises that I can show patients in the treatment room and print to the front desk before the patient gets there when leaving the office. I use custom software that works on my Fujitsu and my Ipaq. I can chart from my Ipaq or Notebook. I use MS Office and Outlook mail, contacts and calendar to keep my staff in constant electronic contact. My office is pretty much paperless.   


Acer TM C110CTI-P-M ULV 900MHZ 512M Review

Updated on Centrino Tabletpc 2003
 

 

Wire-less 54xx
Click to enlarge

Latest Ipaq 54xx with built in Wi-Fi.  At home, I have a Linksys Access Point (BEFW11S4) with shared DSL. At work I have a Lucent RG1000 Access Point with shared DSL. Both are 802.11b. I use both setups seamlessly changing my network setting defaults for work and home on my Ipaq.

I can wirelessly synchronize, print charts (prescriptions) to shared printers over the network or send my charts to my server for my secretary to print. Read about it here.