These days, there’s a lot of talk about cloud-based software. A recent study surveying 786 technical professionals across a wide spectrum of organizations showed that 94% of the respondents used a cloud-based service to manage data.

How EHR flexibility helps during life’s important moments

There are few things more complex than the world of healthcare. But look beyond all the talk about procedures, technology, workflows, rules, and reimbursements and you’ll find patients and providers who share a few simple goals: They want to maintain and restore health. They want to build personal relationships. And they want tools and technologies that support the caring that is the most important part of healthcare — for patients and providers alike.

Whether it’s a tornado sweeping down over a town in the Midwest, a lightning storm knocking out the power for a few days, or a network that just isn’t getting you where you need to go, it’s not always possible to know what will come up tomorrow.

Discussions and debates over healthcare policy never end, but one point is beyond dispute: Since their founding in 1965, our nation’s community health centers have grown to play a vital role in delivering quality healthcare to more than 28 million Americans¹.

During National Health Center Week, we take time to recognize the work that thousands of providers and staff do every day on behalf of communities across the nation.

In late 1996, a group of Compaq and Netcentric executives gathered at an office park outside Houston and gave birth to a new idea: cloud computing. Technology would never be the same.

According to MIT Technology Review, Compaq’s 50-page internal analysis of ideas discussed at that meeting accurately predicted that enterprise software would transform into cloud services and that the future meant “application software is no longer a feature of the hardware — but of the Internet.”

Today, cloud computing fuels all kinds of businesses growth. Successful enterprises routinely align IT “infostructure” with business goals. If solutions aren’t nimble, scalable, secure, convenient, and low cost — they aren’t solutions at all.

As the only full-service healthcare facility for a 100-mile stretch of California’s Central Coast, Big Sur Health Center has to be prepared for the expected, the unexpected and everything in between. For all its natural splendor, Big Sur is also a land of danger, with wildfires, torrential rains, and constant threat of earthquakes.

In 2008, the Basin Complex Fire burned over 130,000 acres, forcing the evacuation of most of the community. We quickly put all our medical and financial records into boxes ready to move to a safe location. Later, when we were debriefing, we asked ourselves: What would have worked better? What is our number one priority in upgrading our emergency preparedness plan? We concluded an Electronic Medical Record System was the answer.

What a start! With 4,500 attendees, 120 learning sessions and 47 sponsors, we kicked off the conference with our first-ever “Prenote to the Keynote” Podcast, discussing previous conferences, as well as what to expect this year. Afterwards, Girish Navani gave a very insightful keynote address, outlining how the business has grown while tying in lessons from other industries. It is amazing where the company has come from and, even more so, where it is headed.

The Product Showcase followed, demonstrating some exciting enhancements, including 10e, a new cloud services platform. This technology takes a new approach to EHRs, incorporating population health and patient engagement for a single unified user experience. Built on HTML 5, it runs on every device and every platform. We showcased developments in practice management, analytics, population health and patient engagement, including telehealth visits, integration with Apple Watch and healow Mom, a new app for expectant patients.