On January 25th, 2011, at 8am at the Apple Store on Fifth Ave, Dr. Ali Sadrieh, a Beverly Hills-based surgeon gave a presentation on the effectiveness of the paperless system as he applies it in his office.  He lead the discussion into the new ingenious software Mac Practice MD 4.1 and hardward provided by Apple to help the doctors of today run a more effective practice.

This revolutionary new way of operating will change the healthcare system as we know it. Making doctor’s visits more pleasant and less frustrating and time consuming.

Apple is all about the “i” of personalization as in iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. So with the “i” in mind, the system will be customized, designed and tailored to fit any doctor’s needs.

The argument was made that if a bulky 5 pound, 1ft long device with an antennae used to be our cell phone less than 20 years ago, and now we have a tiny little device, almost the size of a business card that sends emails, the future is all about being quicker and more compact. It’s time to throw out all the huge bulky file cabinets, and maybe even the paper billing and convert to something less time consuming and more efficient.

This new technology allows files to be instantly scanned into the system within 5 seconds, and transferred directly to the doctor’s iPhone or iPad, complete with x-rays and photo id to make record keeping more efficient.  Think of the last time you were at the doctors office and the time spent waiting as your paperwork had to be found and then processed, so that you can finally see the doctor, and then  file then gets delivered to the right part of the office physically.

The MacPractice MD 4.1 system of software is free at the Apple Store:

• iCal can be shared by the whole office so that everyone is on the same page. There won’t be any more issues about making or canceling appointments, all employees will have access.

• Addressbook can be a database that is more effective than many existing ones out there. Shared within the office so that a patients information is accessible to all employees at all times.

• iChat for faster communication throughout the office.  It can provide more accuracy in telling the front desk to bill a patient and the amount to bill. To get an even more effective message through, (such as to the front desk or to give instructions) use iChat with video  cutting down on employees physically searching for each other which can be time consuming and a waste of energy.

• iPhoto organizes and stores pictures of x-ray files and photo ID of patients, so that once downloaded onto a doctor’s iPhone or iPad, the information is portable.

• iTunes plays videos for patients in order to show certain procedures, or simply for playing music (such as light jazz) for patients in the office during and after the waiting room.

• Mobileme syncs the full system to the iPhone and iPad and makes it portable for the doctor. The full system is also linked so that a patient’s file can be pulled up from the calender.

• Dropbox for backup, remote access with the first 3G free.

• Remote Desktop shows screens of all the computers in the office, helps the doctor see exactly what’s going on in the office, so that he’s more connected to the full process of  and progress made.

• Eblast cuts down on billing paperwork and promotes more accuracy.

• Osirix can provide x-ray management, with 3D x-rays.

• Virtual Time Clock allows staff to punch in and out on their computers and then the system exports the payroll creating less paperwork and less mistakes.

• Phone Valet or Phlink emails the message straight to your cell phone.

It’s all about the work flow -that is personalized work flow, saving time from searching through many file cabinets, and cross referencing at your fingertips. Buy a shredder and recycle all the paper.

The hardware is available at the Apple Store.  Depending on your office needs, you can get as many devices as you need.  You may want a couple of extra iPads for the office to keep those patients in the waiting room occupied, so they can check email or just surf the web.

Live help is on site at the Apple Store at 767 Fifth Ave to help you install the whole system and pick out the right hardware.   Register to view QuickTime Demos at MacPractice.com.

Dr. Ali Sadrieh presented at the Apple Store in his blue scrubs and Apple iPad and iPod in hand. His office is paperless and completely green with solar panels on all his computers. His patients make appointments on the Internet and ePrescribe updates prescriptions right on the system. He addresses the “Hippocratic Oath” of “I will prevent disease…” because most doctors spend more time documenting then helping the patient.

Q&A followed with some discussion, when someone mentioned that Medical Manager has not been updated in 11 years.

Dr. Sadrieh shares his experience of getting a text on a weekend from a patient who needed help. With only his cell iPhone on him, he was able to call up the patient’s entire history with x-rays, and then with a touch of his screen, his phone dialed the phone  number of his patient so that he could address her concern.  Now that’s the power of modern technology!

When asked for his personal views on his practice, he responded, “We take an oath to take care of people. And we have to take care of people, inside the room as well…by going paperless.”

Other member companies with new HealthCare devices are Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA), Perfint Healthcare, Micromedical, PatientSafe Solutions, and Olympus Company.