Below is hte writing of a sensible chap.



To: [log in to unmask]
From: John Fernandes <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Family Practice Residency
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 22:33:32 -0600 (MDT)





I inititally started using a Newton MP2100 as a pilot project for
Medical
information storage and retrieval.  The idea was to get our residents to
use the Newton to carry around several electronic textbooks, and record
patient information in real time.

So the Newton was dumped....no problem.  I anticipated this eventuality,
suspecting that the palmtop computer industry was as fickle as it was
promising.  Thus I elected to use software that would be available for
several platforms...

The electronic medical textbooks put out by K2 consultants, inc. are
available for both Newton and WIN CE formats.  We have run them
successfully on our Newton, and will be purchasing the titles for our
anticipated win CE systems.


Also, for the recording of patient information in real time, I simply
got
a relational database program for the Newton, called leverege 3.0  It
works beautifully and smoothly, easily swapping files with the "base
computer" on which I have created an Microsoft access "master
database"...yes, in order to do so, I had to become an MS access
developer, but that wasn't hard.

What's nice is that I don't have to pay for inflated propriety software
prices, and be dependent on a set of technicians that may or may not be
around in the future (I've been down that road before - in fact I WAS
one
of those developers that charged way too much for proprietary
software!).


So the system we have will easily cross platforms, and makes liberal use
of "off the shelf" machines and software, will be easily upgraded and
easily modified.  We have since made the resolution to no longer
purchase
machine manufactured by Apple, as we have been burned by them several
times in the past.  We are now committing ourselves to win CE systems,
and
are anticipating the development of a medical textbook for life type of
program.  This would be preloaded with a huge amount of medical
information (kind of like the Merk Manual), but the resident would be
able
to add to and update the informations throughout their reisdency and
lifetime of practise...




"Research serves to make building stones out of stumbling
blocks."
                                         - Arthur D. Little
[log in to unmask]


On Thu, 9 Apr 1998 [log in to unmask] wrote:

>>      Group,
>>      
>>         I am an assistant director at a newly formed Family Practice 
>>      residency in San Antonio, TX.  I oversee the Information
>services.
>>         Currently we have Apple Newton 2000 for our residents, but as
>you 
>>      know they are no longer being made.  We do not do any formal
>ERMs now.
>>         Our hospital is in the process of installing Meditech.  As a
>result 
>>      we will undoubtably be using a windows-based hand-held.
>>         Let me know if any training programs have experience in this
>area.
>>      
>>      Mitch
>> 
>> 




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