The History of Networks in Healthcare

"The History of Networks in Healthcare," Health Data Management, March, 2003

Physicians at the IPA can access lab results and hospital operative notes through Elysium software from Axolotl. The organization now has one central server compared to its earlier Lotus Notes-based network of eighteen replication servers. Communication costs have dropped dramatically. The DSL lines run about $50 per month compared with ISDN line costs that often were $100 per month.

A handful of physicians at the IPA also are experimenting with cellular network-based, handheld devices from Audiovox Corp., Hauppauge, New York. The devices combine the computing capabilities of a personal digital assistant with a cell phone. A mobile component in the Axolotl software enables access to clinical information as well as prescription and lab order entry.