Posts tagged with oss

I've got a final RVU trick or two coming, a response to the new Physician's Practice fee schedule article, and more.  I need to get this one out of my queue, though.

Back in July, I wrote about using Opensource (or otherwise free) software in a small business office.  Given the low margin in pediatric offices, I have no idea why people continue to purchase products like Microsoft Office when less expensive, more compatible, better suited alternatives are available.  I think it's just a matter of spreading the word.

One thing I just saw - OK, it was a few weeks ago - an article in slashdot about OpenOffice being available "online" - that is, you don't have to download or install it, you just run it from your browser.

Quite cool.

To spell it out: a small practice could simply connect to this site here and have all the office software that most practices would ever, ever use...for free!

Try it.  It's not like it costs anything.

In a way, this reference below could have nothing to do with healthcare. It could be about a bank or software company or real estate agency as much as a hospital, but I think folks need to see their peers in action for it to hit home. Bottom line: every business ought to take its head out of the sand and consider using the various opensource solutions. Note that the benefits are more than just the money. I've written about this before more than once.

So, my excerpt straight from Computerworld. Or read the entire thing.

Hospital dumps Microsoft Exchange for Linux-based clone

In the end, it all came down to the price

...After conducting an evaluation of alternatives, the hospital decided not to upgrade to a newer version of Exchange. Instead, it went with a Linux-based Exchange clone that it felt could meet the needs of its 700 users without forcing them and IT to learn a whole new system...

..."We have estimated that PostPath saved us 50% over the cost of Exchange," Fallo said, not counting what Microsoft Corp. would have charged for maintenance and support...

...The hospital also went from three staffers managing e-mail to one...

...one client difference that has worked in Fallo's favor is the AJAX-powered Zimbra Web mail client that PostPath uses. The hospital likes it better than the Outlook Web Access client of Exchange 5.5...

... Fallo said that PostPath also has solved message store issues that led to some painful management in Exchange...

...n addition, the hospital has been able to give e-mail to 105 employees who never had the service because of Exchange's storage limitations.

Message recovery also is easier...

There was one enormous benefit in there that didn't get enough attention: the hospital's exchange server needed three people to administer email for only 700 users! That's crazy! What are the savings there, alone? Ay yi yi.

Enjoy.

I am in lovely Chicago prepping for my CCHIT Child Health Group meeting over the next two days. Most of my prep has been practicing saying C-C-H-I-T instead of "C-CHIT". Apparently, the latter is gauche.

On the list of 12 other members of our workgroup, I believe I know three folks already. Nearly all of the others are MDs and all but one or two work for BIG organizations. Given that I lack the aforementioned MD - or MBA, MPH, PhD, MSHI, or PharmD - that my co-members have, we'll see how much I stick out tomorrow. I don't believe that the events are private and I do intend to take notes, so whatever I can share, I will share. Whatever I can't, I won't. I have heard from a few folks (our EHR using clients) who have some input, I'll let you know what happens!

Meanwhile, here's an update? rewrite? another view? of a piece I covered almost 2 months back about hospitals dumping Exchange for OSS solutions.