Tales of Hoffman

E-Prescribing...Integrate or Bust.

In my opinion, this quote from a Boston Globe story on the use of Blackberrys by Tufts explains why standalone electronic prescribing system are "non-starters":

"My feeling is the more that prescribing can be made electronic, the safer and more efficient it will be," he said. But Parker has a hesitation: If he enters a Tufts member's prescription on the BlackBerry, he will then have to enter it again in his office's electronic record, because the BlackBerry does not sync up yet with his office software. "I'm not sure I want another gizmo," he said.

More Medical Blogs

I kept meaning to add this to the blogroll, but somehow forgot. Welcome to CodeBlog: Tales of a Nurse!

Safari/Medscape Fix Coming?

Dave Hyatt of Safari fame writes: 

 I implemented onload for iframes and frames. I think this should allow the DOM test suite to run more easily.

I have no idea what that really means, but I'm hoping that this fixes the current incompatibility between Safari and Medscape's new design. The minute we put in iframes was the same minute
Safari started crashing while running our new look. Since one of my goals is to officially declare that we support Safari, we need to work through this...

My AOL Journals Experiment

Interesting. I followed the link from Dave W's blog to the new AOL Journals app last night. Of course, it doesn't work in Safari (that doesn't surprise me). I couldn't get past the first screen. So, strike one (full disclosure: We're really trying to get Medscape to work in Safari too, so I know it can be frustrating, but I'm committed to supporting Mac users, so we'll figure it out). I tried it out on my laptop at the office this morning, and I have to say....it's pretty good. Very easy to use, let's you make entries via IM (it looks like it's using some variant of the LiveBuddy app, which is smart because I think that's a great way to go), and automatically supplies an RSS 2.0 feed (!).

By the way, when you click on the "What is RSS" link, they do say something like "AOL does not currently offer an RSS reader..." (italics for emphasis are mine). I hope that means they will soon. I'd love to see an RSS reader built into AOL. Now that would do more to spread the use of RSS than 100 entries in Scripting News.

Anyway (now I'm really rambling), the only nit I have to pick is that the blog looks like hell. I mean, it's REALLY ugly. I hope they get some new templates out there soon. If you want to see the results of my experimentations, click here.

The Matrix "Repaddled"

I'm a couple days behind on this one, but if you haven't seen this, you should take a look. Seems like a Japanese TV show put together a parody of The Matrix -- Ping Pong style. Very, very clever.

Medscape Gets a Makeover

Yesterday, we just completed a six month long project to "refresh" Medscape's navigation and overall look. The whole process (starting with user testing -- as it always should) was great fun/intellectually stimulating/highly stressful/infuriating/immensely satisfying (all of the above). The results, I think -- if you'll allow me to be a bit proud of my work -- are pretty damn good. If you're a regular user of Medscape, let me know what you think. If you're not, well, where the hell have you been?

Two More Medical Blogs

Welcome two new medical blogs to the blogroll, DocShazam and A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Cure. The medical blog world is starting to get some momentum, I think....

Taking Personal Responsibility?

Now here's a dialog box you probably won't see any time soon...(via webword.com)

AAFP, Anyone?

Jacob writes back on the idea of a "Medlog Meetup":

Here's one .. let's do a Medlog worksop at a conference ... at the ... Medscape booth.  Set up a kinda theater-style demo (like the silly EMR vendors do) and give out dorky "Medical Blogger" baseball hats ... and we set up a sponsored medical weblog site using TypePad.  ... Hmm .. 

OK! Now we've got some ideas floating out there. I need to check whether Medscape is planning a booth at the AAFP this year (we were there last year and it was great), but even if it isn't, how about we try to do what Jacob is talking about. Maybe the AAFP can give up a small meeting room for us, we'll set up some wi-fi connectivity and get even more docs hooked on blogging. BTW, I love the hat idea. I just want to make sure I we come up with a design that will match my kilt....

Do You Know Where You're Going To?

Got a nice note from Alwin this morning. He's also wondering why Dave W. seems to be ignoring the Medical blogs (at least in terms of Bloggercon). Oh well. Maybe we can get something going ourselves...Here's a "crazy" idea. If you are a "medblogger", send me a list of the upcoming conferences you think you'll be attending over the next conference season. If I see any type of critical mass at one place or another, (or if I even see two of you going to the same spot at the same time) I'll set up a medical blogger meet. Let's see if this can work...