SynapseDirect

Plan to go paperless soon.  It seems doable with Synapse's current functionality.  Any suggestions for hardware preparation?

Will start with a server, a frontdesk desktop and a good scanner.  For the server, I am looking at Dell PowerEdge 840 or SC series with RAID 1, two external HDs for daily backup to take offsite.  Probably don't need windows 2003 server edition, XP pro might be enough.  For front desk, will consider a low end Dell Dimension or OptiPLex for scanning and faxing.  I am thinking of KVM switch for these two since the server will be a dedicated PC and doesn't need a monitor normally.  Saw another office using Xerox Documate 510 for scanning, seem to have enough feature for our needs.  And, a UPS.  The total cost will be less than $3k.  Any comments and recommendation?

Well, Synapse is free.  Guess if in the future if we decide to buy one of the more expensive EMR, transfer between databases is still better than waiting here for the paper charts to stack up.

I'm not familiar with Dell or other hardware configurations .. but a recent model P4, or core2duo processor, with 1Gb ram should be fine with XP.  XP Pro rather than home edition if you want to use remote desktop which home edition does not support.

1Gb of ram so that if you want, you can run some virtual servers to maximize your hardware use.

I would not have the server at the front desk on a KVM switch because invariably someone will try to use the server as a desktop, or turn off the wrong PC.  Seen it happen too often.

I would add a DVD writer as well for data backup.  That way you can keep daily archives indefinitely.  And definitely add a UPS to protect the server and router.

Yes, Synapse is free .. but it is also donation ware

 

Most servers use ECC ram,and most desktops do not.  Not sure if it's needed as I've so rarely seen ram go bad ...

qilin:

Well, Synapse is free.  Guess if in the future if we decide to buy one of the more expensive EMR, transfer between databases is still better than waiting here for the paper charts to stack up.

Definitely.  Doing some ongoing stanning daily is easy and staff can fit it into their day.  Massive scanning projects down the road would be expensive.

Clients:  Synapse produces no Load on the CPU or RAM.  By far and away, viewing .pdfs would be the most demanding task - and that's because of Adobe Reader demands, not Synapse.  I would make sure the client computers are good enough to run MS Word. 

Server:  Windows XP Pro is plenty good enough.  Never Mind Windows 2003 Server.

Here is the computer I use as both a Server and a Client.  I have been using like this for 10 months.  I have not had any database problems.  I back up my Synapse database every hour during office hours and twice a day when I am not in the office.  I use FIBS to schedule the backups.  I backup to another drive on the server.  Which I have Synchronizing with PCs in my office and one at my house. 

I am planning a better backup system (Adding Raid 1) but I haven't got around to it.  My "Server" also does nightly Acronis True Image backups at 3am.

Don't waste your money on a Server - it is not needed. 

=== my Synapse Server ==  (and client !)(don't tell Graham)


Specification        AMD Sempron(tm) 2800+
Package            Socket A (462)
Core Speed        2007.5 MHz (12.0 x 167.3 MHz)
Rated Bus speed        334.6 MHz

Chipset
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge        SiS 741GX rev. 03
Southbridge        SiS LPC Bridge rev. 25
Graphic Interface    AGP
AGP Revision        3.0
AGP Transfer Rate    8x
AGP SBA            supported, enabled
Memory Type        DDR
Memory Size        768 MBytes



DIMM #1

Size            512 MBytes
Max bandwidth        PC2700 (166 MHz)

DIMM #2

Size            256 MBytes
Max bandwidth        PC3200 (200 MHz)

DMI System Information
----------------------
    manufacturer    American Megatrends Inc.
    product        K7S41GX

DMI Processor
-------------
    manufacturer    AMD
    model        AMD Sempron(tm) 2800+
    clock speed    2000.0MHz
    FSB speed    166.0MHz
    multiplier    12.0x



Software
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Version        Microsoft Windows XP Professional  Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
DirectX Version        9.0c

-------------------------
produced by  CPU-Z version 1.38
-------------------------

I would add Raid 1 ... the hard drive is the most likely component to die.  Unless you want to keep a spare drive ready to do a Acronis restore to ... which still means downtime of an hour or so .. and loss of potentially a days transactions.

There is also a possibility of adding web server services to Synapse EMR Server ... so having the SCSI hard drives may be the way to go .. or high performance SATA drives.  Or, you could just add the extra hardware when Synapse EMR Server actually adds these features....

Try LogMeIn (free) for remote desktop

I am on "vacation" and have been monitoring faxes and replying to them using LogMeIn. We use WinFax Pro for all faxing in the office. However, the darn program freezes during the night(reason unknown and experienced by others) and sometimes when non fax calls are received. That won't help while on "vacation"!

So I set up a box to handle faxes using the fax program in XP. This box is accesible to LogMeIn and is on a Hamachi VPN. I check the faxes and convert them to pdf files. Adobe 7.0 Standard allows typing in, so I type in comments, orders, etc. I affix a stamp with my signature, date and print to the fax printer. The fax console takes care of the rest. All of this remotely!

Synapse and my patient data base is accessible via the Hamachi VPN. When I get calls from other docs and pharmacies I have the data accesible.Thus, I can go on "vacation" ~3000 miles from home, FL, to visit my grandchildren in the silicon valley. I thank Dr. Murdoch for suggesting Hamachi and LogMeIn.

I use a Fujitsu ScanSnap for scanning. I does not have a lot of bells and whistles but can scan ~15 pages per minute as pdf files, comes with Adobe 7.0 Standard and costs less than $350. However, it does not have standard drivers and can't be accessed by other programs. This has not been a problem for us.

For telephony my son has made me aware of a neat "free" service at grandcentral.com. Check it out. Along with Skype it might save us a lot of money.

DrO 

DrO:

So I set up a box to handle faxes using the fax program in XP. This box is accesible to LogMeIn and is on a Hamachi VPN. I check the faxes and convert them to pdf files. Adobe 7.0 Standard allows typing in, so I type in comments, orders, etc. I affix a stamp with my signature, date and print to the fax printer. The fax console takes care of the rest. All of this remotely!

Synapse and my patient data base is accessible via the Hamachi VPN. When I get calls from other docs and pharmacies I have the data accesible.Thus, I can go on "vacation" ~3000 miles from home, FL, to visit my grandchildren in the silicon valley. I thank Dr. Murdoch for suggesting Hamachi and LogMeIn.

Sounds like you're more organized them I am! 

I use a Fujitsu ScanSnap for scanning. I does not have a lot of bells and whistles but can scan ~15 pages per minute as pdf files, comes with Adobe 7.0 Standard and costs less than $350. However, it does not have standard drivers and can't be accessed by other programs. This has not been a problem for us.

Ordered over the weekend, one workstation, one server and a scanner.

Clients:  Synapse produces no Load on the CPU or RAM. 

I noticed.  Ordered a low-end Dell Dimension C521 for client and front desk scanning.  A good scanner is certainly more important, I hope Xerox Documate 510 is good enough.

Don't waste your money on a Server - it is not needed.

I still decided to go with a entry-level Dell Poweredge SC440, with the current discount, the price is comparable to low-end workstation - around $700, loaded with Intel dual core 2.8g CPU, 1G RAM, two 160G HDs and 17" LCD - in case we decide in the future to migrate to another more resource demanding EMR.  I didn't order hardware RAID yet, will run software RAID1 first since performance shouldn't be an issue here.

=== my Synapse Server ==  (and client !)

Sounds like you build the PC yourself?  I like AMD and have AMD in all 5 PCs at home I built over the past years.  Since I am an employee in the office, the boss is not paying me extra for my semi-IT work, and Dell is really cheap, I am buying Dell for the office now.

Try LogMeIn (free) for remote desktop

Will give it a try.  Now I am using VNC via Hamachi, working fine.

qilin:

I still decided to go with a entry-level Dell Poweredge SC440, with the current discount, the price is comparable to low-end workstation - around $700, loaded with Intel dual core 2.8g CPU, 1G RAM, two 160G HDs and 17" LCD - in case we decide in the future to migrate to another more resource demanding EMR.  I didn't order hardware RAID yet, will run software RAID1 first since performance shouldn't be an issue here.

Are you going to be running Windows 2003 server?
If  you are don't setup a domain controller as I found it impossible to setup virtual server with the domain controller active.

Why should one use the free virtual server?  To set up other stuff for testing that you can wipe later on without affecting your Synapse server installation which can be kept bare as. 

Are you going to be running Windows 2003 server?

No, will use Windows XP pro.

Hmm.  Download the driver for the raid card on to a floppy disk or whatever, and reinstall XP Pro with the raid driver (F6).

Graham:

Hmm.  Download the driver for the raid card on to a floppy disk or whatever, and reinstall XP Pro with the raid driver (F6).

My XP Pro box has RAID1.

I use it for my (PaperPort) patient directory. 

Does the CPU you have support RAID ?  That's how I do it.