This is completely fascinating to me. What exactly does the "remote app sharing" in this case? Does anyone else run like this, for normal AC sessions? I don't think we'd ever set up something like this, but it's interesting.
Application Sharing is to share or broadcast if that makes it easier to understand, thin client is another name that it goes by. It means whatever applications you have installed on the server that is serving in this roll. From the workstation level it means that the applications are not at all installed on them. There are many ways to sharing applications on the server as long as the application is compatible for said technology. Citrix, M$, Elusiva, 2X and there are others can provide application sharing. Citrix is the pioneer in this arena in fact M$ first licensed it from Citrix with the roll out of M$ Windows Server 2000. Coming from the Point of Sales industry background I have been doing this since the early 90?s. There are many benefits when using shared applications as I have mentioned previously, a couple more that I didn?t mention the requirement for a workstation is minimal you can get by with a slow junky Win 98 PC and once it connect to it?s session it will run as fast as the server is setup to. Also, is you can access shared apps using a web browser.
And no offense to Dog. But, am I reading your post correctly? Are you actually suggesting that an AC user go out and purchase four servers, OSs, GFI Faxmaker, which is rather pricey. I am guessing a Brooktrout fax board for a grand?
I have seen it so many times you start out cheap then realize that in the course of getting your system to run for you business needs, in most cases you end up buying a server and then another. When you should just bite the bullet and do it right from the start. I mean AC is one of the least expensive EHR systems out there. On average most other ones that I work with start at $8k to $10k per provider and then there is additional fees for the hardware and fees for how many workstations that you have using it. Not to mention the fees in rolling it out. AC as you know only has a onetime fee per provider and then just annual support. What I am getting at is with AC and spending then money for a good server and network rolled out by a qualified IT firm you still won?t be spending very much in comparison to what I have seen out there.
As for FaxMaker it only runs $109 per user and since it can run with SMTP you don?t need M$ Exchange Server. We have it running with other clinics integrated with the Gmail. Depending on the amount of fax lines we have FM running on just MT9234MU USB Modem the run only $125. As for server you can get them on the cheap by not buying new. There is nothing wrong with Dell Acutions and Ebay just make sure what to buy and you can find then still under warranty. I have seen great servers for under $500.
I love share point but, like pretty much what everyone says you can?t just walk up and start using it, and from what I have learned working with most doctors just want there stuff to be like a switch ?when you flip it on it works and they do not care to learn anything new? Not to mention the staff tend to fight change as well.
One important thing that all should consider is web filtering. I am seeing a rise on the amount of the workforce that is wasting company time with Facebook, youtube and so forth. And trying to place a program each workstation is too time consuming to use. I use Untangle it?s cheap and does so much more than just web filtering.
Just my 2 cents
-Dog
