Few would argue that converting a paper filing system into an electronic format is a huge step up. Whether you are a small business organizing your receipts, or the head of a household putting together your shopping lists, having an easy to use, searchable, electronic record is ideal. In the simple case of going shopping my iPhone enables me to keep electronic lists of the items I think of throughout the week that I will need to pick up when I go to the stores. That list can also be emailed to the Misses if she is going to a particular store I needed something from. I also have an app that stores all of those little discount cards that every retailer uses now, so there is no need to weigh down my wallet, or key chain with an abundance of plastic. The point I am making is that I use these things because they make not just my life easier, but that of my girlfriends, the cashiers and everyone who doesn’t have to wait longer in line as I search for the right discount card. That is supposed to be the function of Electronic Medical Records, or EMR. While EMR is an outstanding achievement in healthcare, many clinicians and patients are feeling a cold shoulder during interactions with one another. “The whole point of EMR is to simplify the process and to enhance and facilitate communication,” Dr. O’Malley said. “But in order for that to happen, EMR needs to be more user-friendly and more responsive to the clinical needs of patients and clinicians.” Citing the difficulties of using EMR while creating a welcoming environment and pleasant experience with their patients, some clinicians are hoping EMR systems are redesigned with the Clinician-Patient user experience seamlessly integrated.
To read more on this complication of EMR, click here for the NY Times article, by Pauline W. Chen, M.D.
At TEDIndia, Pranav Mistry demos several tools that help the physical world interact with the world of data — including a deep look at his SixthSense device and a new, paradigm-shifting paper “laptop”.
In an onstage Q&A, Mistry says he’ll open-source the software behind SixthSense, to open its possibilities to all.
Always looking to support innovations in technology, AS|D Labs sponsored Jackbot, the self-driving robot car built by Assembla. The Jackbot was built for the Mini Grand Challenge competition run by Penn State Abington, where it WON! Congrats guys!
As an AT&T customer I know the frustrations of their less than ideal cell service. As I sit in the AS|D Labs office and type this post I am without service on my iPhone with its painfully expensive monthly bill. However, AT&T might have come up with a viable solution to fixing its service dilemma, through a product they are calling MicroCell. The MicroCell operates by plugging the unit into a DSL cable and it in theory creates your own personal cell tower. “The signal on the device can cover an area up to 5,000 square feet, and it gives access to up to 10 AT&T phones, four of which can connect to it simultaneously. The device can also be moved around to different locations.” Not to be skeptical, but we purchased similar devices for the office to improve service with no results, so I will be interested to see how effective the AT&T MicroCell will be. Oh and there is one little catch, right now the device is set to cost AT&T customers $150!
Nick Bilton writes on the NY Times Bits Blog:
Last December I wrote about some of the strange rituals iPhone users have adopted while trying to make phone calls on AT&T’s flaky cellular network. One idea I put forward was the creation of iPhone booths that would let iPhone customers know where there is a strong AT&T signal, to spare them having to walk around in circles saying “Can you hear me now?”
On Wednesday, at the C.T.I.A. wireless conference, AT&T might have finally answered some customers’ prayers with the national rollout of its 3G MicroCell device. The device has been available in limited cities for several months.
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(image source | Assembla)
