| In the medical community it is widely known, maybe | | | | user, such as LifeScape Medical Associates will make |
| even universally accepted, that governor Janet | | | | good use of faster, more economical bandwidth (T1's, |
| Napitolino's mission is to make Electronic Health | | | | cable or fiber optics) to enable transmission of small to |
| Records (EHR) common in Arizona by 2010. While | | | | large files to radiologists, laboratory firms, vaults for |
| EHR is one step of many to reduce healthcare | | | | offsite data back up and restore, or billing companies, |
| delivery costs and improve operational efficiencies, it's | | | | etc. With the Governor pushing digital records by 2010, |
| not without enormous challenges to providers (medical | | | | a more cost-effective transport solution must be a |
| practitioners) and staff. The ambitious imperative is an | | | | requirement, not a necessity. |
| investment in software, equipment and network | | | | Shifting Forces |
| bandwidth, staff time to convert paper to digital | | | | Further, the telecom industry is moving swiftly and |
| records, training and so on. | | | | confidently with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) |
| Providers should critically examine relevant sources to | | | | which enables telephone calls to use a broadband |
| getting started on the EHR path. First is turning to | | | | Internet connection. And in the same breath, Session |
| product certification. The Certification Commission for | | | | Internet Protocol (SIP trunking) is gaining momentum in |
| Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) is charged | | | | the telecom arena, which is an application enabling |
| with certifying vendor products on three | | | | improved station-to-station communications and lower |
| points-Functionality, Interoperability and Security. This | | | | telecom costs. SIP trunking works on DSL, cable, and |
| certification enables physicians to evaluate a few out | | | | T1 transports, and the combination of VoIP and SIP will |
| of many vendors. Second is to gain intelligence about | | | | go a long way in streamlining communications. |
| various systems by using the Internet and examining | | | | In addition to these advances in the telecom |
| products on web sites. The other get-started | | | | community, the traditional business phone system is |
| approach is to seek the support of a quality | | | | being replaced with software based IP PBX systems |
| Information Technology service provider already | | | | at an unprecedented rate. The advances include |
| experienced in EHR systems. Also, if necessary, | | | | hosted services, which offer medical practices |
| broadening the banking relationship to include a line of | | | | substantial cost savings over premise-based PBX's. |
| credit based on a provider's FICO score. While there | | | | The decision to go hosted is a choice based on |
| are more key steps, the all important ones are the | | | | considerations such as balance sheets, cash outlay, |
| commitment to change and the support of the | | | | favorable tax treatment, and technological |
| physicians and staff to ensure change is permanent. | | | | obsolescence, just to name a few. |
| Offices Getting On Board | | | | These advances require sufficient bandwidth when |
| It is certainly noteworthy to mention that Arizona has a | | | | converging voice and data on the same transport. |
| hand full of medical practices that are making | | | | Further, installing such a system as the main PBX in an |
| headway on improving their practice through the | | | | MOB would further accelerate the modernization of a |
| proper use of advance technology and can be viewed | | | | medical practice. Telesphere, for example, provides |
| as pioneers in this arena. One local company, | | | | telecom services to the Phoenix Building Owners and |
| Scottsdale-based, LifeScape Medical Associates | | | | Managers Association (BOMA), which significantly |
| continues to optimize the advances in technology. | | | | reduces BOMA's overhead costs. |
| Dr.Wilder, medical provider, invested substantial life | | | | A large percentage of Arizona medical practices are |
| savings several years ago. The benefits of moving to | | | | likely to operate Electronic Healthcare Record |
| an EHR system and using wireless voice | | | | systems by 2010. The vision is for practice |
| communication devices to simplify interoffice | | | | management and EHR vendors to revolutionize |
| communications out weighed expenses, explains | | | | information technology; for patients to experience |
| Lifescape owner, Dr. Susan Wilder. | | | | office processing and communication efficiencies; and |
| Equipping Medical Office Buildings (MOB's) with | | | | for the medical office building industry to contribute to |
| "cost-effective, smart bandwidth" by using vendors | | | | the intelligent healthcare technology imperative. |
| such as Time Warner Telecom, a savvy technology | | | | |