In article <[log in to unmask]>, Mick
Ibbotson <[log in to unmask]> writes
>Ewan,
>
>I can understand the need for suppliers with remote sites needing dial in
>access but still feel that GPs would prefer that for support issues, that
>any access is done on site. Practices do pay 'large' amounts in support to
>expect on-site service which they can manage. :-)
>

We do a lot of work on-site and maintain a field team in addition to our
third party hardware maintenance contractor who do nothing else.

Currently AAH Meditel use online support a lot less than many other
suppliers. We have not used it significantly with System 5. We inherited
the use of online support for AMC software when we acquired AMC and have
continued the practice at a reduced level.

Over the years this has been raised on numerous occasions by our user
group who felt that by not using online support we were missing a chance
to improve service and reduce cost.

We are know starting to offer remote support to all of our customers who
wish to us to use it. This is partly a response to customer pressure for
the service, partly as a way of reducing cost to enable us to offer
customers the lower prices they want and partly because we think
supporting GUI based systems by the traditional 'talk the customer
through it' approach will be very much more difficult than with a
character based application.

We know that many of our customers will consider the benefits of faster
and better service combined with the prospects of further price
reductions in support charges worthwhile against the marginal increased
risk to patient confidentiality. The relative numbers who feel
conformable will depend on how we approach the issue. This is why I have
open this debate. For the medium term cost saving from this approach
will be shared across all customers, whether they participate or not.
However, differential charges with discounts for those who allow remote
support seem likely long term.

Those supplier who currently use online support heavily with relatively
light security offer significantly lower support charges. As far as
those issue where remote support replaces a long tedious call to the
help desk of a visit by a field engineer. You pays your money and takes
your choice. There are however other areas (unscrambling damaged data to
rescue the customer who hasn't got proper backups, identifying problems
that can't be replicated by us on test systems using teat data,
splitting
and merging databases as practices split and merge, plus many others)
where the resources required in terms of a range of skilled people, and
software and hardware tools are such that such services could not be
offered on site except at cost I am confident not GP would pay.


>Also, I have a problem with dial in access as no system can ever be 100%
>safe when attached to a telephone line!
>
>Sorry, if this is not what you expect, but this is a quite common feeling.
>
>Mick
>
>IT Professional / Ex Student (So possibly a bit more experienced with
>un-authorised access ;-) )
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>             Sliding Sideways Every Thursday Unless It Rains.......
>             ~       Mick Ibbotson  [log in to unmask]          ~
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>

Ewan Davis
[log in to unmask] - Bromsgrove, UK

Managing Director AAH Meditel Ltd - Supplier of EMR Systems.
[log in to unmask] Voice +44 (0)1527 579414 Fax +44 (0)1527
837287


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