When you’ve outgrown FileMaker Pro

FileMaker Pro is an easy to use, flexible database tool that is quite popular in the pathology laboratory world.  Many database applications (laboratory information systems or LIS) for this market have been developed due to cost factors and ease of deployment especially if the lab has limited IT resources.  FileMaker Pro will continue to be popular for sometime with smaller volume…

Simplicity of HL7

Came across this post and video about how HL7 works on Twitter by @HL7 and really enjoyed the simplicity of it.  What’s interesting though is that HL7 doesn’t seem to be simple at all.  Please know I’m not saying HL7 isn’t a good thing, because standardization can add to progression.  Also, I’m a business guy and need to leave the details to…

EHR Progress?

There is an abundance of focus and energy around the shift to digitizing healthcare.  The government may be the biggest cheerleader and/or bank roller.  Last week, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT posted on its Health IT Buzz Blog a new theme of unity in healthcare emphasizing the fact that it is going to be a huge…

Software Pricing Dialogue

Software pricing – what an interesting science!  So much goes into strategically positioning your software product, platform and/or service in the particular market you are in from a value perspective.  You start by positioning your software business model against competitors – traditional software model vs. SaaS for instance.  In our experience, there is still an educational process when many potential clients…

Fast, Cost-Effective Interfacing

Today almost every pathology lab director has “interfacing” as a line item on their weekly staff meeting agenda.  As more referring physicians implement EMR systems and ramp up their meaningful use (MU) of these technologies to grab their piece of the Federal Government’s HITECH incentive dollars, the demand for LIS-to-EMR interfacing increases.  Check out a previous post describing the…

Are all healthcare SaaS platforms created equally?

We’ve already discussed the benefits of SaaS in healthcare especially those applications that provide opportunity for customization.  But are all SaaS platforms equal?  No…you guessed it… they certainly are not.  In choosing a SaaS platform in healthcare, there are several criteria that need to be examined.  The check list should including the following at a minimum: Redundancy –…

SaaS, Healthcare IT and Customization

The Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model has been in existence for many years and continues to successfully prove out its value proposition compared to traditional legacy software system models.  We published a post a few months ago on the total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits of SaaS. The healthcare industry was slower initially in its adoption of…

Partner with your competition

Just about every information source these days points to increased demands on the healthcare IT industry.  Many are hoping process efficiencies can be realized by further automating healthcare.  Others are focused on the government’s influence related to the adoption of EMR systems.  Still others are just doing some math… Cited from U.S. Census data: 303 million total Americans 17% are over…

Healthcare IT Collaboration – One State’s Approach

Pathagility had the opportunity this week to speak to a group of Arkansas business leaders from both the public and private sectors at the Innovate Arkansas Technology Showcase.  Innovate Arkansas works with new, technology-based entrepreneurs to turn inventions and high-tech concepts into viable businesses with a goal of creating high-paying Arkansas jobs.  Innovation in healthcare technology…