Dental/Optical Software Packages

[resolvetech]

The current version(s) of Dentrix do not support XP so if he is running an out of date version you would do well to steer clear. He is also not HIPAA compliant if he is running XP.

I agree with oldtech. I recently picked up a client with a similar situation and we've moved them to Windows 7 and their Windows 2003 R2 is next. HIPAA puts you in a sticky spot. It doesn't need to happen overnight; however, you need to let the client know it needs to happen soon. You also need to get this communication in some sort of record so it show your due diligence in case they get audited. I prefer email with my customers (because they are less defensive) but you need something in these situation other than "he said, she said". Everybody's your friend until their faced with a breach or some other costly mistake.

 

[fencepost]

Old systems can also be where VMs come in handy - I have a couple of customers with 2003 servers that we're still getting migrated into locked-away status - they'll have RDP into the servers, but everything else is going to be blocked. These are servers running old EMR or diagnostic imaging systems that they no longer have support or updates on but which they occasionally need to retrieve data from.

This is where I wish there was a standard supported format for export of data and documents from EMRs for migration to new ones. And yes, I know about HL7, it's not the solution if the cost to get the old vendor to export your data is higher than the cost of years of support and upgrades for that old system - besides, I've not seen an EMR that actually supported that level of exporting or importing anyway, maybe at the hospital level.