Mobile Visions

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October 02, 2007

What's mobility to an SMB?

When it comes to WLAN applications, small and medium businesses clearly have a different set of priorities than enterprise customers. In a much more direct way, their IT strategy (if there is one) is driven by immediate business needs. For example, I recently spoke with the administrator of a small medical group. He needs to move the clinic from a paper based operation to an electronic medical records system. His key business problem is moving paper charts around – across multiple sites. To use his words, it’s a nightmare. This medical group has no wireless network today. Security continues to be his greatest concern. However, when they do implement an EMR system in the next 6 months, it will drive the need for a pervasive, reliable, and of course secure wireless network.

So how’s this different then enterprise? He’s not even thinking about niceties such as guest access, VoWLAN, location or asset tracking. His mobility application is EMR, plain and simple. He readily ticks off the benefits from improved staff productivity, more accurate records, and therefore better patient care.

BTW – his most trusted technical advisor is his son. He has one outsourced, part time IT guy. And he still needs to figure out what it means to be HIPAA compliant in a wireless world.

Posted by Georganne Benesch on October 2, 2007 10:04 PM

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Comments

normally, the most trusted is the money and then family member, it doesn't really matter what is the best technology wise!

again, the technology doesn't sell itself!

Posted by inlink on April 24, 2008 07:29 PM


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