Home Forums Discussions General Discussion The "F" word (F-ware)

Wcoghill invoked the "F" word on another thread which excited me. I use OpenOffice (FREE) in all 10 of my computers (with my computer having MS Office). I use logmein.com (FREE) for connectivity to my office. I use PDFexpress (FREE) and OfficeAlly (FREE).

This AC community could voluntarily adopt opensource software when it makes good sense. Since this does not have anything to do with insurance reimbursement, I think we can discuss this without invoking anti-trust issues.

Anyone else using F-ware in their office happily?

I admire your philosophy, Roy.

Amazing Charts seems to attract folks with a bent towards self-sufficiency.

Unfortunately, I didn't find out about a lot of this F-ware until I had already shelled out the dough for the name-brand, but I want to try PDFexpress and I have looked into OfficeAlly, which looked good (wish the interface was cleaner).

This is not exactly what you were referring to, probably, but my LabCorp interface was free, and is working like a charm so far (for ordering and receiving results). Only had it for a few weeks, so far.

Brian,
Have you had enough time with the LabCorp thing to give a basic review yet??? Does anyone know what LabCorp's privacy policy is? Although I guess at some point it really does not matter because either way they are going to get the patient's demographics as well as their lab results, with the orders that generated them including ICD-9 codes we supplied anyway. Kind of stinks when you stop and think about it. Even if we want to be good custodians of our patients PHI, at some point much of it leaks out into the greater healthcare system where most others just are not a vigilant as we try to be.

Some free things are really good. Some aren't. Then, some just don't work for you. I wish I had known of the free PDF before I purchased Adobe Acrobat. Or MS Word. Too late now.

I tried Logmein (FRee) but for some reason it only worked consistently for 2 months. Others have had good luck with it though.

We looked at OA (and our biller did too) but she (our biller)is leaning towards Gateway. Its her billing company, so "hey!"

I used free software (Nvu and Trellian) to make our new website. Check it out! www.doctorcoghill.com and my images on it were almost free ($1 or less for most).

I think so, Paul. The bottom line so far is that it took a long time to set it up, but it is free, and seems to work well. There were a few kinks, but no big deal (to me). No one person seemed to be the super-expert, but it got set up piece-by-piece, and now we order lab with just a few clicks. I am looking forward to creating a Masterpost (did I just coin a phrase?) with colored headings and bulleted points , but just don't have time with cold and flu season.

I really don't be posting right now, but you asked me a question! I couldn't be rude!
What would *your* privacy policy be, if you were a national lab company that processed HIV tests, urine drug screens, and other medicolegal procedures?

I would imagine they want to get sued about as much as you or I do. I think they are a big enough outfit that you could trust them to take care of the basics, like HIPAA.

Hi Roy,

Our set up is similar to yours...my computer has MS Office and all the others on our network have open office. I find however, word will not open an open office doc, so I may just go ahead and make us entirely open office.

I also use logmein and OfficeAlly/Practice Mate (both free). I don't know about PDF express, but my machine (Dell Optiplex) came with Adobe.

ShortKeys, while not free, was incredibly inexpensive. IrfanView is a great little image viewer that I can use to crop etc images...and it's free. Here's the link: http://www.irfanview.com/ I use this at home a lot, and want to start using it here - I've yet to start playing with the images for AC...

Before Adobe, there was no PDF. And what's wrong with Word?

Hey perhaps I'm just out of it, but I was window shopping for computers and software at Staples (ya I know, just touching, not buying their for a real computer) and I learned something I feel I should share just in case others don't know it either.

If one buys a new retail version of MS Office 2007, and it seems like all the version from Home and Student's to Super Duper Pro, it now gives the purchaser license to install it on up to THREE machines!!! It's no longer $125 to $500 per computer any more. I gather this is in response to this new Free Office Suite push. I do not know if this applies to an version you would buy from a computer vendor like, Dell, HP, or Gateway, add nausium. So it may be in one's best interest to not get any extra office installed on a new purchase and instead go buy a retail copy at OfficeMax or Staples the next time they run a sale instead.

And I was just thinking about purchasing 2-3 computers between one for the kids at home and one or two to improve work flow around here. Very cool, now I can get what used to be $900 worth of Office for $125 to $300 bucks there about. Just thought I should share.... Good night....

Paul

Hook line and sinker.

The older version (1997) of MS office works very well for our needs and can be installed in any computer without having a "home invasion" program checking periodically for "authenticity." If your computer is not connected to the web (as some of ours are not), this poses a problem when the computer "phones home."

It's in MS's best interest to propagate their programs to get a critical mass so that older versions become obsolete and prevent competitors from coming in. After a critical mass is reached, expect a "switch and bait" in conditions on use of program.

The bottom line is, do you need a "newer" version because it has features that you need? With many programs like Acrobat, Office, and others, there is no need for the added "functionalities" and we don't need to support the feeding frenzy that drains our budget. Just my opinion.

Well, the up to three thing seems to apply to "small business editions" at least they did with Gateway. Only problem was, it would only work on a Gateway computer. I learned this the hard way, as we had 2 computers, bought the third as a Fujitsu laptop, went to install Office only to get the message "This is not a Gateway computer."

I now refuse to purchase this type of s/w from the computer mfgs.