508-909-5961 [email protected]

Quick, name an industry that hasn’t been vastly improved by new technologies. It’s not easy to do, and would be especially difficult to argue when discussing medicine, where hi-tech advancements make everything possible from transdermal glucose monitors to genome sequencing. Healthcare technology also extends to the patient experience, such as with these five integrations that […]

2016january2_healthcarearticles_bQuick, name an industry that hasn’t been vastly improved by new technologies. It’s not easy to do, and would be especially difficult to argue when discussing medicine, where hi-tech advancements make everything possible from transdermal glucose monitors to genome sequencing. Healthcare technology also extends to the patient experience, such as with these five integrations that make medical treatment more convenient.

Putting the words “healthcare technology integration” together opens things up pretty broadly, so what do we mean by it exactly? In this instance, we’re not talking so much about complex surgical procedures or hi-tech medical devices; the focus here is more on IT, or “information technology,” in the healthcare realm.

It may not sound as impressive as some of the sci-fi-seeming technological advances like anesthesiologists’ iPads that use “perioperative information management systems” to track the patient’s well-being during surgery; or the “Argus II” bionic eye, which takes a video signal from a pair of sunglasses and transmits it to retinal implants. But the improvements technology integrations are making to the patient experience are no less significant.

Timely Reminders

In the past, healthcare providers had but one “convenient” way of reminding patients of upcoming appointments. Phone calls are fine, but even with the advent of robo-calls, connections can be missed and messages can fall through the cracks. Today, your doctor’s office can reach you via more expeditious “e-methods” like email, chat, and text message. They also afford patients an interactive option where they can confirm dates and times with a click of their mouse or a tap of their screen.

Informed Decisions

Integrating technology into your healthcare routine will never replace the advantages of meeting your physician face-to-face, but it certainly makes it easier for you to manage your wellness. For example, there are apps that give you on-demand access to your medical records and patient history -- with features like real-time chatting with your doctor, therapist, or nurses -- allowing for better, faster decision making when it comes to your health, all without an actual appointment.

Painless Prescriptions

Here’s one area of patient care where new apps are truly simplifying things, making communications between you and your doctors and pharmacists completely hassle-free. In many cases, the process for getting the right drugs at the right time can be totally automated; gone are the days of calling in scripts or dropping them off and waiting. Welcome to the new age of software programs that manage your meds, automatically refill them, and keep you on track to better health.

Personalized Care

Everyone has a different approach to staying fit or recovering from illness, and in the world-wide-web era, search engines are a part of most people’s repertoire. But the data you find online won’t be tailored to your precise situation, and certainly won’t be 100% trustable. Thankfully, a slew of sophisticated health-tech apps are integrated with wearable devices to give you accurate, up-to-the-minute info on how you’re doing with your stress management, heart health, or temperature regulation.

Convenient Claims

The historically labor-intensive, oftentimes irritating undertaking of filing medical claims has been seriously improved upon by technology in recent years. Thanks to cloud computing, your doctors and insurance carrier can collaborate on your behalf using secure, encrypted apps that result in faster processing and far less paperwork. You’re even able to enter your insurance info ahead of time, and stay up-to-date throughout the process with automated status updates.

Technology integration in healthcare is improving the ways we prevent diseases, perform surgeries, and deliver treatments. But the innovations with the most significant day-to-day influence are the ones that provide patients with access to reliable, real-time information. That’s where patient outcomes, perhaps, have been advanced the most -- right before our [bionic] eyes.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Read More

Android Things is the latest Google operating system. It is designed to be used in devices for what is known as the "internet of things," and will compete with similar platforms offered by other companies for their different devices. However, many business owners and consumers alike are scratching their heads wondering how this latest Google […]

2016december30_android_bAndroid Things is the latest Google operating system. It is designed to be used in devices for what is known as the "internet of things," and will compete with similar platforms offered by other companies for their different devices. However, many business owners and consumers alike are scratching their heads wondering how this latest Google operating system manifestation will impact them. If you are among those interested business owners, it is vital to get to learn about Android Things.

Android Things is a Google operating system designed for use and compatibility with connected speakers, routers, security cameras, smart thermostats, and more. Essentially these are the "things" that need to be connected through WiFi to a smartphone or tablet to be controlled as part of a larger network or system.

Google originally announced an Internet of Things operating system referred to as Brillo. However, Brillo did not do as much or as well as expected, and it has rarely been mentioned since. Rather than continue to allow Brillo to fade into obscurity, Google decided to rebrand Brillo as Android Things, an improvement that offers the same developer tools as other Android operating systems.

It is important to keep in mind that Android Things is a background operating system rather than an obviously visible system like the system on a phone or tablet. But the fact that it can accomplish more complex tasks quickly and efficiently can mean big things for its use in business.

If you are interested in knowing more about Android Things or about using devices that put this OS to use, contact us right away. We’ll help you keep up with the latest development updates so you can be the first in line when Android Things products are widely released.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Read More

Microsoft Edge has recently been changed and updated. While this is nothing unusual, what is unusual is the sudden choice to no longer be as Adobe Flash-friendly as it once was. The blocking of Adobe Flash by Microsoft's primary web browser can have significant repercussions for businesses and web users alike. As a business owner, […]

2016december29_windows_bMicrosoft Edge has recently been changed and updated. While this is nothing unusual, what is unusual is the sudden choice to no longer be as Adobe Flash-friendly as it once was. The blocking of Adobe Flash by Microsoft's primary web browser can have significant repercussions for businesses and web users alike. As a business owner, you may wonder whether your website and your various bells and whistles will be affected by these changes. In order to understand what is going on with Microsoft Edge and its relationship with Adobe Flash, get to know more about the rationale behind the decision as well as how your business may be adversely impacted.

The primary purpose behind the recent changes made to Microsoft Edge is to make it more competitive with the popular Google Chrome web browser. Among efforts to do just that is the change to how Adobe Flash works on the Edge browser. Now, instead of Adobe Flash plugins playing and loading immediately when a person navigates a website, the application will be blocked.

An alert will come up near the address bar, letting users know that Adobe Flash has been blocked and will give the option to run the add-on or continue blocking it. For businesses that use Adobe Flash throughout their websites, this can be a frustrating change as visitors will need to take an extra step to access the full website.

However, there are numerous legitimate reasons for these changes to the Microsoft Edge browser. The most important of these issues is the fact that Adobe Flash is a security risk and is easily hackable, making it more likely for information and control to be lost to web users. Another issue is the fact that Adobe Flash is a big drain on battery life for computers and other devices.

The theory is that Adobe Flash is on its way out, and that newer, better systems are on their way in. As of now, Windows Insider users are the only ones with access to these updates, but soon the updates will go global and be made available to all users. In fact, Microsoft plans to eventually automatically load HTML5 web information first without loading Adobe Flash content at all.

Because so many sites use Adobe Flash, this can mean major renovations to existing web content. If you worry about the impact this will have on your business, contact us for immediate help and assistance in maximizing your website usability before these changes go live for all Microsoft Edge users.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Read More

It's a scary to think you can be simply browsing the Internet when WHAM! a screen pops up out of nowhere claiming that you have been hijacked and will need to pay a bitcoin to free your computer. Unfortunately, ransomware like this is not uncommon. But now there's a new, more devastating virus that asks […]

2016december28_security_bIt's a scary to think you can be simply browsing the Internet when WHAM! a screen pops up out of nowhere claiming that you have been hijacked and will need to pay a bitcoin to free your computer. Unfortunately, ransomware like this is not uncommon. But now there's a new, more devastating virus that asks victims to pick other victims to replace them in order to get their computer information back safely. Read on to find out how Popcorn Time is turning the ransom game on its head -- and how you can protect yourself from it.

Ransomware is nothing new. Cybersecurity miscreants have been taking advantage of online users for years by requiring payment to "unlock" a victim's computer. What Popcorn Time does differently is give users the option to spread the virus to two other victims in the hopes that they will pay the ransom -- a tactic that promises to double their money at the expense of your sense of morality (and at the expense of your friendships as well).

The Cost of Popcorn

When you inadvertently download this ransomware, you will be met with a screen that explains that your files have been hijacked/encrypted, and that to get them back you will need to pay one Bitcoin for a decryption key that they keep stored remotely. The Bitcoin fee is usually more than $700, a hefty price to pay during any season but particularly difficult for those infected during the holiday season.

Spread the "Holiday Cheer" and Hope they Bite

What makes Popcorn Time unique is the option victims have to take their cost away by allowing the ransomware to affect two of their friends for a chance to get a free decryption code. Of course, it works only if both friends pay the ransom, which leaves you looking (and feeling) like the Grinch.

Avoiding Popcorn Time this Season

The easiest way to avoid downloading ransomware is to stay off of sites that might contain questionable files. However, this is nearly impossible for modern users, and many hackers are getting good at making their files look legitimate. Limit your exposure to potential ransomware by keeping your software up-to-date and your computer protected with a security program from a reputable company (for example Norton or Symantec). If you need to learn more about how to avoid running into ransomware while you're online, give our professional cybersecurity consultants a call. We'll keep you away from the popcorn this season.
Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

Read More