John (Howland),
I have not jumped into the AC cloud yet, but this thought is rattling around in my head, and thinking a similar system for an AC cloud user should work just fine.
One of the biggest criticisms of the Chromebook is lack of processing power and inability to print effectively.
However, if your main office computer is synced to your AC data base in the cloud. And you routed your printers through this microsoft based computer with the processing power, so that each of your exam rooms and office has a printer.
I think the idea of a desktop in every exam room, really becomes quite redundant. Why not take your "desktop" (chromebook with VNC viewer)with you into every exam room outfitted with a large flat screen TV and printer.
The biggest weakness of the Chromebook, small exam rooms, and being a bit on the frugal side, has led to this scenario in my own office except my AC data base is in my office computer and not in cloud.
This set up, including 3 printers, one chromebook, 2 TV's, cost me about the same as my HP laptop just 2 and a half years ago.
So, I not only have a very nice intranet based system in office that mimics my dual screen desktop, but anywhere I go, I can function as if I am in my office.
I was recently out of the office for 3 working days, and did not call my nurse one time. With Updox on my right and AC on my left screen, I could sign scripts, send lab results with letters, sign off mammos and paps, edit 02 orders, message nurse, in essence do everything to keep the office going using the internet feature of VNC viewer to duplicate my desktop.
So through the frailty of an outdated small office, a device without processing or printing power, the solution has worked much better than I ever anticipated.
So effective, I would replicate my current setup in a heartbeat, just as I have it, with the caveat of possibly transitioning to the cloud at some point, maybe....
I am drumming this incessantly with the hope of some young docs coming out of residency hearing my cry from the wilderness... the tools are there and very affordable and much more user friendly (I suspect) than the ones utilized in the ivory towers of residency.
And maybe nudging some not so young docs to try out, but John, I thought of you and just wondered with being outfitted with AC in the cloud if some portion of this solution may work for you, if you have such a need.
Not only are the tools affordable but what they afford you in the exam room or out of office is quite impressive.
