Aus, Charlie, Art,
Here is more on Allscripts, iPac, and CPQ. I think there is a big market here. Consider: "In 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that automated prescriptions cut by more than half the rate of serious medication errors at one hospital." That is only one way in which portable, wireless computing will help doctors and hospitals. It will become easy, and they'll wonder, eventually, how they ever did without it.
Compaq signs dlrs 100 million-plus hardware deal with paperless prescription provider
HOUSTON, Mar 22, 2001 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Compaq Computer Corp. will supply doctors with
handheld computers for use with a budding paperless prescription service in a three-year deal valued at more than dlrs
100 million.
The agreement announced Thursday with Chicago-based Allscripts Healthcare Solutions means the more than 15,000
physicians in its program can use Compaq iPAQ handheld devices to write prescriptions, reference clinical material and
record dictated notes and charges.
Prescriptions can be automatically filed with pharmacies, which the companies say will cut down on paperwork and
service time.
"The question in health care is not whether the information exists, but rather providing access to the right information at
the right time, and the right time is at the point-of-care when the physician is in the decision making process," said Glen
Tullman, Allscripts' chief executive officer.
Though the handhelds are the key to the deal, Houston-based Compaq also hopes to provide other products to Allscripts,
including desktops, laptops, servers and computing services.
Compaq, which is laying off about 5,000 full-time employees because of slow domestic personal computer sales, has
been struggling to keep up with demand for its iPAQ handhelds, which use a Microsoft operating system and compete
with Palm-based models.
Compaq spokesman Martin Nott said the company is ramping up production of the handheld units to meet increased
demand.
"Is this going to strap us beyond our ability to fill the order? The answer is, no," he said.
Private doctors' offices are increasingly using paperless prescription providers, and similar systems already exist in many
hospitals, where doctors can use special computers at nursing stations to input medication orders.
In 1998, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that automated prescriptions cut by more than half
the rate of serious medication errors at one hospital.
Earlier this week, Health Industries Research Cos. predicted 50,000 doctors could be using one of several available
paperless platforms by next year.
Allscripts has increased its physician customer base tenfold since late 1999, when about 1,500 were enrolled,
spokeswoman Tracey Moran said.
Despite another general sell-off in the stock markets, shares of Compaq were up 6 cents Thursday afternoon to dlrs
18.75 on the New York Stock Exchange. Allscripts' stock was down 6 cents to dlrs 5.13 per share on the Nasdaq Stock
Market. |
