Updating my computer system


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Well, just replaced my 7 yr. old IMAC with a new mini-MAC running Mavericks, printer, monitor & external back-up drive. I must say, even though I've been using a computer since the days of Windows 3.1, I found it challenging. All my old files needed to be installed on the new system plus compatibility issues arose with the older software. It took me 3 days to get everything up & running properly. I'm glad I did it though. I do enjoy exploring all the new & different features of the software & hardware. It is just amazing how this technology has evolved, despite the ever increasing government interference.

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" It is just amazing how this technology has evolved, despite the ever increasing government interference." -- Las Vegas.

What interference?

No law defines what a computer is or who is qualified to program one. No licensing, no requirements, no enforcement. Laissez faire.

If you goto the hospital everything is regulated, except the computers. Think about that. I mean, yes, I understand the doctor. I love the scene from ST:OS where they are on a prehistoric ice planet and Dr. McCoy delivers a baby and Captain Kirk is greatly impressed and Bones replies, "A doctor heals with his hands, Jim." But almost everything in the hospital is programmable.

About five or six years ago, my wife bought a used pop-up toaster at a Buddhist monastery yard sale; and a week ago it went on to become something else. (It had a good life; maybe it's a Porsche.) Anyway, Laurel asked me if I wanted one that connects to the Internet. "What?!?"

Anyway... Just sayin'... we have progress explicitly in those areas where the government has no control.

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" It is just amazing how this technology has evolved, despite the ever increasing government interference." -- Las Vegas.

What interference?

No law defines what a computer is or who is qualified to program one. No licensing, no requirements, no enforcement. Laissez faire.

If you goto the hospital everything is regulated, except the computers. Think about that. I mean, yes, I understand the doctor. I love the scene from ST:OS where they are on a prehistoric ice planet and Dr. McCoy delivers a baby and Captain Kirk is greatly impressed and Bones replies, "A doctor heals with his hands, Jim." But almost everything in the hospital is programmable.

About five or six years ago, my wife bought a used pop-up toaster at a Buddhist monastery yard sale; and a week ago it went on to become something else. (It had a good life; maybe it's a Porsche.) Anyway, Laurel asked me if I wanted one that connects to the Internet. "What?!?"

Anyway... Just sayin'... we have progress explicitly in those areas where the government has no control.

Every industry has regulations, to various degrees, which hampers its profits/ growth. It may be a ban on materials it can use, restrictions on what & how it ships, where they may operate, etc. etc. My point is, in spite of the restrictions, the advances continue to be made in leaps & bounds, unlike some other industries.

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Michael, the computers in hospitals are highly regulated. For instance....

  • The machines that deliver radiation therapy are operated by computer programs that reside on networked computers. All must FDA-approved and meet HIPAA requirements.
  • Ultrasound equipment that take pretty pictures of babies in wombs have operating systems and are networked. Many tie in with note-taking software and billing software. The equipment and any systems communicating with the equipment must be FDA-approved. The note-taking and billing software must meet HIPAA requirements.
  • Every piece of hardware and software used in a hospital must meet HIPAA requirements.
  • If a piece of software is used to bill Medicaid or Medicare patients, it must meet CMS minimum requirements or else no payment will be forthcoming.
  • If data is going to be exchanged between the hospital and any federal agency, it must meet the requirements of that agency.
  • If a hospital is going to do transplants or treat diabetics or do research, all hardware and software used in these practices must meet the minimum requirements of the agencies who govern those practices.
  • If a hospital is going to write prescriptions and/or dispense medications and has any kind of hardware or software in use to do so, it must meet minimum requirements of governing agencies, primarily the DEA.
  • Any healthcare organization that employs licensed providers (doctors, nurses, physican assistants, nurse practitioners, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists, radiology technicians, mid-wives, etc etc etc) and uses any kind of software to record and maintain licensure and continuing education credits, must meet the minimum requirements of the respective governing bodies.

This is just a few things that I can think of off the top of my head. Check out CCHIT if you'd like to get an idea of all the ways in which computers in hospitals are regulated. Or the CMS website. Or HIPAA regulations. Or FDA regulations governing systems that deliver patient care. (Although, if a system meets all the CCHIT requirements, there's a very good chance they will meet all the rest.)

Edited to add: The healthcare organization I worked at for 10 years, spent $150M and 3 years implementing a CCHIT-compliant electronic health record system. That was after decades and millions of dollars spent trying to build their own and doesn't include all the niche systems that are used by ancillary departments or any of the systems that require separate FDA-approvals.

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