Mobile capabilities

Submitted by Guest on Sun, 04/08/2013 - 20:40

General User's Discussion

Hi there

I am thinking about getting OpenVPMS to use in my new one vet mobile business. My question before subscribing is how the software works for a vet thats on the road. Is it possible to use the software i.e. write up consults and invoice clients on the road without having internet access? I will have access to run updates etc. at the end of the day and could probably use my phone as a hot spot if necessary but it would be easier not to rely on needing to do this.

Regards

Jezzie

Re: Mobile capabilities

Submitted by tgething (not verified) on Sun, 04/08/2013 - 21:37.

Jezzie - if you are a one person business and its just you (ie no slaves back at the office) then there is absolutely no reason why you cannot run the system on your laptop.

I am not a vet, but we are about to switch my son's business from RxWorks to OpenVPMS. He does the housecall part of the business so is on the road all day. Here in Hong Kong there is good 3G access in most places so his laptop talks to the server at the office where the rest of the team work.

However in your case, until you grow the business, I would run off the laptop in the car. David uses a Cannon iP100 printer for which you can get an 'automobile power unit' for invoice printing at the customer's house.

I have been running OpenVPMS on my laptop (running Win7) for the last 12 months while I have developing the conversion from RxWorks. It runs like a train.

Regards, Tim

Re: Mobile capabilities

Submitted by Jezzie (not verified) on Sun, 04/08/2013 - 21:45.

Thanks Tim

To clarify will I need to have internet access at all times to use the software or can I use it offline in consults?

Thanks for the suggestion re. the printer!

Jezzie

Re: Mobile capabilities

Submitted by tgething (not verified) on Mon, 05/08/2013 - 08:47.

Jezzie - if OpenVPMS is installed on your laptop then you have no need for internet access to enter consults, print invoices etc etc.

Only one problem - we are in the final stages of building a Context Sensitive Help (CSH) system that provides help text for every screen. As standard, the CSH data is hosted on this site - eg http://www.openvpms.org/documentation/csh/1.7/patient/record

The system is built so that potentially the help data can come from any web server - including one running on your own laptop. However, although we have considered the problem, we do not currently have a mechanism to extract the 350 odd pages of help data so that it can be moved elsewhere.

So if you are in the boonies with no internet access, you will be able to record the consult and bill the customer - so long as you can remember how to do it.

Regards, Tim G