Houston Medical VIP improves and adds value to Family Health Centre

In this example, the clinic was happy to be profiled but preferred not to be named.

Solution Overview
The Health Centre is situated in Auckland and has a network of 7 workstations. They were running the old 16-bit HGP software on equally old computers.
Due to demands and constant changes in General Practice and increase in data collection required from PHO’s the move to VIP was essential.
The Health Centre now enjoys and is able to effectively send off any report from data collected into VIP to any Government Legislative requirement.
With very effective and fast IT equipment life at the Health Centre has improved.

Customer Profile:
The Health Centre comprises of a 3700 patient database and growing. Four Doctors (Two Full and two part time), 1 main Administrator, 3 receptionists (1 Full and 2 part time) and 2 practice nurses.
By clinic standards this is a medium to large practice.

Business Situation:
A new server was installed and the clinic was networked and upgraded to Windows 2003 Terminal Server. This allowed the clinic to use their old work stations as ‘dumb’ terminals saving a considerable amount of money for the clinic. A fast internet connect connection was installed as well as a firewall. This allows quick and efficient connection to Healthlink. The faster internet can be easily accessed through the network from each workstation to access lab results, send ACC and maternity claims. E- Link allows storage of email addresses to quickly access and print Chem number application forms, immigration medicals and patient information for medical conditions.

Project Objectives:
To provide reliable and easy access to all users.
To provide the relevant back up and security procedures to ensure the protection and integrity of the networked data.
To provide a support environment to minimise the impact of failures to the Clinic.
To provide added value to employees, patients and other parties.
To provide the clinic with the technology platform for the next 5 to 10 years.

Solution Summary:
To provide the clinic with the technology platform for the next 5 to 10 years.
Remote support and server monitoring is provided by Houston Medical staff to enable proactive administration of the system without associated travel costs that would normally incur due to their geographical locality to Houston Medical’s Head Office.

Value to The Health Centre:
Upgrading the IT system at this clinic has many advantages.
Information and data retrieval can be made in real time.

Functional features such as email and internet access means that communication between staff members and other parties such as Healthlink, PHO, ACC has been improved.

Network and software support can be carried remotely, reducing the total cost of travel and on site time.

This system allows easier administration of all systematic features, and more defined processes for future upgrades as legislation calls for.