Introduction to Healthcare Information Technology Chapter Three Desktop IT Operations

Objectives List the different types of computing resources and computer languages Explain how to set up a desktop workstation List the steps in troubleshooting hardware and software Describe how to configure devices

Healthcare IT: Challenges and Opportunities Healthcare industry slow to embrace use of information technology Computers and handheld devices Not pervasive today at local doctor’s offices Federal laws accelerating the shift to electronic health records Target dates for widespread adoption

IT Overview Electronic medical record (EMR) Electronic version of patient’s paper chart Contains medical and treatment history Advantages of EMRs over paper records Easily track data over time Identify patients due for preventive care Monitor performance of large numbers of patients Disadvantage of paper health records Handwritten format prone to transcription errors Difficult to distribute information

IT Overview (cont’d.) Electronic health record (EHR) Focuses on total health of the patient Goes beyond data collected at a doctor’s office Designed to be shared among a patient’s healthcare providers Advantages of EHRs Data collected by a primary care provider can inform an emergency department clinician Patient can log into own record through the Internet Clinician’s notes from hospital stay can be used to create accurate discharge instructions

Types of Computing Resources Mainframe computer Large, powerful, expensive computer Designed to process large amounts of data quickly Can support hundreds of users simultaneously Dumb computer terminal used to connect to the mainframe Mainframes most frequently used in government, financial services, retail, and manufacturing industries

Types of Computing Resources (cont’d.) Network Anything that resembles a net in how it looks or functions Computer network Multiple interconnected computers and devices Client-server computing Network controlled by a special high-powered server Clients: individual computers on the network Servers service the requests of client computers

Figure 3-1 Client-server computing © Cengage Learning 2013

Figure 3-2 Servers in a rack © corepics/www.Shutterstock.com

Types of Computing Resources (cont’d.) Traditionally, servers requiring different software would be separate physical computers New approach: virtualization More than one server can run on a physical piece of equipment Advantage of virtualization Reduces cost of purchasing separate computing hardware

Figure 3-3 Virtualization © Cengage Learning 2013

Types of Computing Resources (cont’d.) Terminal services Variation of client-server computing Software for applications installed on servers Software accessed through client machines Client machines do not contain software Processing carried out on the server Advantage of terminal services Older desktop computers can be used as terminals Reduces cost of purchasing high-performance desktop computers

Types of Computing Resources (cont’d.) Cloud computing Pay-per-use model Recent method of access computing resources online Accessed using the Internet Example: storage or computing power accessed “in the cloud” Hosted services Servers, storage, and support shared by multiple “tenants” (users and organizations)

Table 3-1 Cloud computing characteristics © Cengage Learning 2013

Types of Computing Resources (cont’d.) Cloud computing service models Cloud Software as a Service (SaaS) Cloud computing vendor provides access to vendor’s software applications Cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS) Customer can install and run own specialized applications Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Customer can deploy and run customer’s own software, operating systems, and applications

Programming Languages Language used to communicate instructions to computer hardware Application programming interface (API) Instructions for two programs to communicate with each other

Programming Languages (cont’d.) Common programming languages for Web development Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) Extensible Markup Language (XML) PHP Active Server Pages (ASP) Flash Structured Query Language (SQL)

Setting up a Desktop Workstation Desktop computer workstations Computing workhorses in healthcare setting Healthcare IT professional: Must understand hardware and software components

Parts of a Desktop System Desktop hardware Processing hardware Central processing unit (CPU) Input hardware Devices for data entry into the computer Example: keyboards Output hardware Often connects through a universal serial bus (USB) connection Examples: monitor, printer, speakers

Figure 3-4 Standard desktop computer system Figure 3-5 Motherboard with CPU © Norman Chan/www.Shutterstock.com © Dmitry Melnikov/www.Shutterstock.com

Parts of a Desktop System (cont’d.) Types of desktop software Operating system (OS) software Utility software Application software OS software Serves as intermediary between user and computer hardware Allocates memory; assigns processes; performs communications; monitors progress

Parts of a Desktop System (cont’d.) Utility software Provides additional functionality not found in the core OS Typically performs a single task Example: file synchronization Application software General software used for a variety of different tasks Examples: word-processing programs, spreadsheets, database applications

Installing and Configuring a Workstation One of primary duties of a healthcare IT professional Standard set of tasks involved Select the proper location Unpack the components Connect the components to the system unit Create user accounts Run hardware diagnostic tests Install updated drivers

Figure 3-7 Computer connections © Carolina K. Smith, M.D./www.Shutterstock.com

Table 3-2 Computer components and connections © Cengage Learning 2013

Installing and Configuring a Workstation (cont’d.) Standard set of tasks involved (cont’d.) Update the operating system Turn on security protections Configure power settings Install software Create a backup image

Troubleshooting Tracing and correcting problems Essential skill for healthcare IT technician Troubleshooting steps Identify the problem Assess different options for solving the problem Involves solving hardware and software problems May involve consulting vendor documentation

Hardware Today’s computer electronics Modular and low cost Time rarely spent to attempt to repair faulty hardware Troubleshooting tips for printers Check power and connections Update driver Restart the print spooler Replace ink or toner

Table 3-3 Troubleshooting a computer monitor © Cengage Learning 2013

Table 3-4 Troubleshooting a computer mouse © Cengage Learning 2013

Software Software troubleshooting includes installing periodic software updates Security patch General software security update to fix discovered vulnerabilities Software update Universal software enhancement for all customers Hotfix Software that addresses specific customer situation

Software (cont’d.) Service pack Cumulative package of security updates and additional features Patches should be installed in a timely fashion Modern operating systems have automatic updates Drivers should also be updated periodically

Configuring Devices Examples of types of devices Mobile storage devices Mobile computing devices Imaging devices

Physical Interfaces Point of interaction between a computer and another device Port Connection on computer for attaching an external device Parallel port Serial port Universal serial bus (USB) interface versions USB 1.0, USB 2.0, USB 3.0

Physical Interfaces (cont’d.) IEEE 1394 Transfers bits one at a time at very high speed Used for high-speed communications between personal computers and digital audio, video, and automotive applications Bluetooth Wireless technology using short-range radio frequency transmission Designed for short distances (up to 33 feet) Provides for ad hoc device pairings

Table 3-5 Bluetooth products © Cengage Learning 2013

Mobile Storage Devices External devices that provide additional storage capabilities Commonly used to back up or transfer data Types of mobile storage devices Magnetic storage Optical storage Solid-state storage

Mobile Storage Devices (cont’d.) Magnetic storage Oldest storage technology Examples: internal or external hard disk drives Magnetic tape: older type of magnetic storage Optical storage Data recorded on a disk by burning marks into the surface Read back by a precisely focused beam of light Examples: CD, DVD, HD DVD, Blu-ray disc

Figure 3-11 Portable external hard drive © Ruslan Ivantsov/www.Shutterstock.com Figure 3-12 Desktop external hard drive © Igor Grochev/www.Shutterstock.com

Mobile Storage Devices (cont’d.) Solid-state storage Flash memory used to store data Example: USB flash drive Advantages of solid-state storage No fragile moving parts Inexpensive Small with relatively large storage capacity Secure Digital (SD) card Uses flash memory

Figure 3-13 USB flash drive Figure 3-14 SD card © vkoshkarov/www.Shutterstock.com © Tuit Vlad/www.Shutterstock.com

Mobile Devices Mobility Tablet PCs Smartphones Defining characteristic of modern computing Tablet PCs Lightweight touch-screen computing devices Some use specialized mobile operating systems Generally do not have a separate keyboard Smartphones Provide Web access and much more Apps (application software) provide additional functionality

Imaging Devices Used to capture information and convert to electronic format Document scanner Fax printer Card/badge scanners Barcode scanners Barcodes can now be read using software Signature pad Captures and stores handwritten signatures Digital camera

Installation and Configuration Identify proper interface port BIOS is responsible for enabling and disabling ports Install correct drivers May come on a CD with the hardware device Connect device to the proper interface port Sometimes drivers are installed automatically at this point Configure device for use Run the software accompanying the device

Summary Electronic medical record: an electronic version of paper charts found in a clinician’s office Electronic health records are designed to be shared between providers Mainframe computers are designed to process large amounts of data quickly In client-server computing, the server provides resources to the individual client computers Virtualization allows multiple servers to run on a single physical computer

Summary (cont’d.) Cloud computing is a pay-per-use model for access to computing resources online Desktop computers include hardware and software Types of software include OS, utility, and application software Troubleshooting is the process of tracing and correcting problems Imaging devices are used to capture information and convert it to an electronic format