VLCM and Lifesize Communications

VLCM is a partner of Lifesize which offers high definition video conferencing solutions. If you are interested in pricing or a customized solution please contact me- Mike Linton 801-671-2849.

Here is a good VIDEO for a reference and introduction of the lifesize solution.

Here are a few more bullet points of why you should consider Lifesize as a solutions for video conferencing.

LifeSize consistently delivers the highest quality of experience
• Unmatched Full HD 1080p30 and True HD 720p60 immersive quality
• Highest number of resolutions supported at any bandwidth
• Modular and flexible to meet mainstream customer needs
• LifeSize architecture outperforms the competition
• Designed for intuitive ease of use to speed adoption and time to ROI
• Standards-based for interoperability and easy deployment
• Unrivaled price/performance to enable pervasive HD video
• LifeSize leads in price/performance across the full solution

Will the "I'm an all Cisco Shop" mentality stay- Gartner report suggests otherwise

Gartner recently released a report that says, in summary, Cisco's story of "simplified operations, ensured reliability and lower TCO for a network infrastructure" isn't correct in most network infrastructures that it is a good idea to introduce another vendor into your network, and as a matter of fact, when introducing another vendor (HP Procurve for example) it usually lowers TCO, simplifies operations and gives more reliability and easier management.

Here is the link to the full story of "Debunking the Myth of a Single Vendor Network"

To give a quick summary here are some points from the Gartner report.

Key Findings

• Introducing a second vendor into the network infrastructure will have no long-term impact on operational costs for organizations following best practices.

• Introducing a second networking vendor will reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) for most organizations by at least 15% to 25% over a five-year time frame.

• We did not encounter one example were operational cost savings would offset the equipment cost premium that Cisco generally charges.

• Most organizations that introduced a second vendor report a lasting decrease in network complexity, compared with an all-Cisco network.

• Network operations teams that are already using some form of multivendor management tools for fault alerting, configuration management or performance management are well-positioned to take advantage of the second-vendor opportunity.

Recommendations

• Network architects and CIOs must consider alternative network vendors to ensure that they deliver a functional network solution at an appropriate cost point.

• Network operations teams should invest in multivendor-capable tools to help enable the organization to deal with a second vendor in their infrastructure, and to improve the operational capabilities with their incumbent solution.

HP in Healthcare

HP is a dominant player in the healthcare industry. Some of the current trends in Healthcare are:

Acquiring other practices and clinics
Security and Encryption
EHR
Virtualization
Wireless and Mobility
Performing Remote Diagnostics

Here are some of the HP specific solutions for Healthcare Practices and how they are addressing the needs that these trends are driving

Enterprise Business
- Servers, storage, backup and back-end IT infrastructure etc.
Personal Systems Group
- Desktops, laptops, tablets, etc.
Image and Print Group
- Scanners, MFPs, Printers

Contact me if you need any additional information on how HP can help your Healthcare Practice.

Checklist of IT related needs as a practice move to Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

Document Shredders
Mobile Computing devices
Computers
Monitors
Internet Connection
Firewall
Servers
Anti-virus
Encryption
Ergonomic products
Backups/ Disaster Recovery
Document Management
Digitize Paper Records
Video Conferencing
Secure Mobile Data Storage (USBs, Harddrives)
VoIP Phone systems
Printers/MFPs (Multi-Function Printers- Fax, Scan, Print, Copy)
Digital Signage

What EHRs are Fully Certified (Meaninful Use)?

CCHIT has been chosen as the decision making board to determine what EHR vendors are Fully Certified- meaning that if you implement them correctly they will qualify a practice for the government stimulus money and help you get to meaningful use.

You can find the list HERE

Although there are several that are certified, not all of them will do exactly what you need them to do. It is important to do your research and find out which one is best for your practice.

Implementing a new EHR: 3 Recommendations on the IT side

I have recently(over the past 6 months) been studying the healthcare industry and the IT needs that are coming about as a result of the government stimulus money and the push for EHR (Electronic Health Records) across the whole industry.

Physicians need 3 things relating to IT as they look to implement a new EHR system.

1. IT consultant or manager
This seems simple to those that have implemented EHR systems and understand the complexity and the requirements, but physicians need to know that the systems are very IT dependent and definitely need guidance through the process of merging their current IT infrastructure with the new EHR system. An IT consultant will definitely help Healthcare practices have a smoother transition to a new EHR system. I recommend finding somebody in house that understands and can implement IT or finding an independent Healthcare IT consultant that knows how to integrate your IT systems with the proposed EHR.

2. Basic Systems and Network
It is super important that your computers and servers and firewalls are upgraded to handle the new load that will be put on the network. If a practice fails to do this, many problems related to the EHR will find their roots in a poorly set up network. Critical components to systems are cabling and wiring, reliable and sufficient internet connectivity, security measures like a good and managed firewall and anti-virus, and reliable desktops, laptops and tablets. If all these things are in place it will greatly help the transition to a new EHR be more pleasant.

3. Strategy for maintenance and support
New requirements for support are often overlooked and can add an additional cost of maintaining and supporting a new EHR. This step should not be overlooked. Many physician practices are spending at least $1,500/month on IT support to maintain and take care of the IT infrastructure that is critical to a smooth operating practice running a new EHR. This should not be overlooked and having an IT person on staff or outsourcing to a reputable company that has experience in that area.


If practices consider these 3 things they will be more prepared for the IT demands that a new EHR puts on a small practice.

Tier3: Platform as a Service

I have recently been investigating the best of breed cloud solutions for clients and I came across Tier 3 a few months ago. They are a platform or infrastructure as a service provider. Their solution has built in disaster recovery and all the compliance of SAS 70 type II, HIPAA, and PCI. So for businesses looking to have servers hosted in an environment that was built from the ground up with high availability in mind, then Tier 3 is a perfect solution. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this solution.