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Monday, October 18, 2004
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Extreme Networks WLAN Switch: Power over Ethernet (PoE)
The PoE switch allows you to set up wireless access points, printers or other devices without having a power outlet neaby, and allows more "intelligence" at the edge of the network.
Using the switch, Brookwood [a Birmingham, AL hospital] deployed access points in its emergency room. Now emergency patients can be admitted at their bedsides by nurses using tablet PCs, helping the hospital streamline its admitting process.
This is different from Cisco's approach--central management predominates. It is expected that they will release a similar product by later this year or early next year.
12:41:14 PM 
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PalmOne Announces Treo 650 (Mostly)
This is a posting on Gizmodo, but the link to the article on InternetNews is not working right now. So, I'll pass along this tidbit from Joel:
Probably the best new information is right at the bottom, where PalmOne confirms that there will be both a CDMA/1XRTT version and a quad-band GSM version with EDGE support, and that the 650 will be available "before the holiday shopping season."
Kudos to TreoNauts for picking up on this one, and confirming these features:
Better Camera (1.3MP) + 2x Digital Zoom
High-res screen
Bluetooth
Removable battery
Keyboard improvements
Flash memory to ensure that data won't be lost
Connector changed to match that of the Tungsten line
New VersaMail to support MS Exchange Server 2003 out of the box
Blackberry Connect (still not complete but to be added ASAP)
10:39:11 AM
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Qualcomm vs. Intel
Today's WSJ checks in with an article (subscription required) by Lee Gomes regarding competition among wireless tech companies:
Thus, one of Intel's motivations in pushing WiMax is to keep Qualcomm in check, and to allow Intel to play the same dominant role in the emerging world of wireless computing that it now plays on the desktop.
Om also blogs on "how Intel is getting its nose bloodied in the cell phone and non-PC business by Texas Instruments and Qualcomm."
Verizon continues to roll out its soon to be nationwide EV-DO services based on Qualcomm's CDMA technology. If demand allows it to discount its current $80/month fee, this option will be more popular. Smartphones enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting their favorites to be capable of accessing this service.
7:52:22 AM
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Investment of $500-700 billion needed over next decade to meet Bush's goal of reducing healthcare cost by 20%
This USA Today article cites that the current annual cost is $1.7 trillion. The $500-700 billion represents a 3-4% investment of total industry revenues into IT. But, industries such as finance and manufacturing invest at a level of 5-7% of their revenues.
Sutter Health officials plan to invest more than $1 billion during the next decade to give the 41,000 employees and 34,400 doctors who work in its 27 northern California hospitals access to advanced IT systems, including electronic records. Infrastructure investments include installing PCs connected to wireless networks beside every one of Sutter Health's 5,800 hospital beds, Hummel said.
The remarks in July by Tommy Thompson, sec'y of the Dept. of Health and Human Services, indicated that 10% or $170 billion could be cut from annual healthcare expenses with a nationwide electronic health record.
6:51:39 AM
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Sun Coast Hospital's ER expansion includes Web access for patients and digital X-rays
Instead of providing a basic setting for triage, this Florida hospital seems to be following the trend in offering comfort and privacy in the ER, as more use it as their access to primary care.
Sun Coast Hospital's new emergency room will offer Patientline, a computer/television terminal that allows patients to check e-mail, use the phone and watch television.
It's interesting that the article mentions the trend towards more private accommodations in the ER is in consideration of HIPAA.
There will also be WiFi provided for the "glass-enclosed" waiting room for the pts' families besides the obligatory always-on TV.
6:29:48 AM
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Latest technology [VoIP] saves money, but 911 calls may not go through It’s a tempting idea for some.
This story from New Haven, talks about the problems with VoIP and mentions this trial by Vonage:
Edison, N.J.-based Vonage announced last week that it had successfully completed a statewide trial in Rhode Island. Rhode Island, aside from being the smallest state, also is unique in that it has just one 911 call-handling center.
Connecticut has 106 call centers.
The article also mentions that AT&T "aims to have a VoIP 911 call solution in place by the end of the year..."
5:55:49 AM
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Tracking wireless callers to 911 is far from perfect
This story from North Carolina anecdotely describes the state of the cellular 911 global positioning system (GPS).
Even though this young woman had a GPS chip in her Sprint phone, the 911 operator was only able to track her call as close as four houses down from her apartment. Emergency response personnel had to canvass this neighborhood door-to-door, hoping that she would be able to come to the door. The state of the art of 911 localizing only allows tracing a caller's location to within a 100-900 ft radius. But it is estimated that only 35% of call centers nationwide have this capability.
By the time a 911 operator was able to guide crews to Holley's apartment by the sirens heard over her phone, 26 minutes had passed. Officials found her dead in her apartment.
The ME cited the cause of death as a pulmonary embolism. Use of a landline could have meant the difference for this case.
For users of older phones (2 yrs.), it may take hours to be found in the case where they were not able to describe their location.
I would imagine the situation is even worse with a VoIP account last I heard, but I'd have to check on the latest info.
5:46:10 AM
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© Copyright
2004
Bill Koslosky, MD.
Last update:
11/10/2004; 7:33:31 AM.
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