Here is a letter I wrote the author. Nancy, I hope you don't mind my giving him your name.
Kevin -------------- Dear Mr. Ken Terry, I read with interest your recent article in Medical Economics regarding implementation of the VA's EMR in private offices (the VistA package). I am a family physician who has successfully taken the code from the VA web site and implemented portions of it for my 15-physician multi-specialty group. Thus I have fully explored many, if not most, of the requirements and limitations for VistA. What shocked me was your statement regarding the requirement of a $50,000-$100,000 server. This could not be further from the truth! Because the software has initially been developed for hardware that was in use back in the 1980's-1990's, it will literally run on almost any old computer that you could drag out of the corners of one's garage. This is perhaps an exageration, but it is very limited regarding the horsepower required. I purchased a used Dell optiplex server on EBay for $3,000 for our server. We are running Linux as our OX, and GT.M as our Mumps environment. And our application uses very little of the available computing power. Regarding the total bottom line cost of implementing VistA in private offices, I think that time will tell. By having an Open-Source software package, the way is clear for competition between installation and support venders. When CMS releases VistA Office, anyone will be free to take the technology and offer their own installation package. So if someone is making a large amount of profit off of private physicians, be sure that someone will want a piece of the action and underbid--driving costs down. The WorldVistA organization is a charitable, nonprofit, public-benefit corporation that has one of its primary goals to improve health worldwide by making medical software better and more accessible. They/We would be happy to help you with information if you would like for any future articles. Their web site is: http://www.worldvista.org/ Please feel free to contact me if you would like at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Another active member that is a good source of information is: Nancy Anthracite [EMAIL PROTECTED] These are exciting times. Thanks again for your article, and your time regarding this letter. Sincerely, Kevin Toppenberg, MD The Medical Group of Greeneville Greeneville, TN --- Nancy Anthracite <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have heard of disinformation, but this takes the > cake!!!!!!! Thank goodness > that CMS was allowed to comment so that didn't go > unchallenged. > > On Tuesday 24 May 2005 11:33 am, Kevin Toppenberg > wrote: > > There is an article about VistA in Medical > Economics > > magazine, in the May 20,2005 edition, page 40. > > > > The link to the site should be www.memag.com But > when > > I try it right now, their server is not > responding. > > > > There is some misinformation, namely they quote a > > "consultant" that claims that in order to run the > > mumps database, on must buy a "$50,000-$100,000" > > server. They then quote others disputing this > claim, > > but I think it is unfortunate that they even put > that > > WRONG info in the article. > > > > Kevin > > > > P.S. I just tried the web site again, and its > working > > now. Here is the URL > > > > > http://www.memag.com/memag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=161588 > > > > KT > > > > > > > > __________________________________ > > Discover Yahoo! > > Get on-the-go sports scores, stock quotes, news > and more. Check it out! > > http://discover.yahoo.com/mobile.html > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > This SF.Net email is sponsored by Yahoo. > > Introducing Yahoo! Search Developer Network - > Create apps using Yahoo! > > Search APIs Find out how you can build Yahoo! > directly into your own > > Applications - visit > http://developer.yahoo.net/?fr=offad-ysdn-ostg-q22005 > > _______________________________________________ > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > [email protected] > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > -- > Nancy Anthracite > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > This SF.Net email is sponsored by Yahoo. > Introducing Yahoo! Search Developer Network - Create > apps using Yahoo! > Search APIs Find out how you can build Yahoo! > directly into your own > Applications - visit > http://developer.yahoo.net/?fr=offad-ysdn-ostg-q22005 > _______________________________________________ > Hardhats-members mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new Resources site http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by Yahoo. Introducing Yahoo! Search Developer Network - Create apps using Yahoo! Search APIs Find out how you can build Yahoo! directly into your own Applications - visit http://developer.yahoo.net/?fr=offad-ysdn-ostg-q22005 _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
