bjhonermann writes
"The Zambian government (along with partners) are currently rolling out an electronic medical records (EMR) system in public health facilities. The project has been going on for some time and is already in 600+ facilities with more than 700,000 patient records. One problem we're facing is that most information is still being double entered in the EMR as well as on primary paper documents at the facility, and sometimes additionally transcribed to paper registers. This double/triple entry takes time away from nurses who are already in short supply. There's an inability to fully move away from partially paper based systems both because clients often move between 'paper clinics' and 'electronic clinics' in the same communities and for follow-up care, and because the power systems in many sites are unreliable and require that there be sufficient paper backups of records for operations during periods where power is unavailable — perhaps for weeks at a time. We're providing solar panels and battery backups for sites, which work increasingly well with newer low power CPUs, but even if the power issue were solved this would not address the need for portable paper documents. The key objective of eliminating redundant manual entry of forms and paper registers by nurses might be accomplished if we had low cost low power B/W printers available at sites so that critical information could be entered electronically and then printed out as needed, either for client carried purposes (transfers/visits to 'paper facilities') or to serve as local backup when power is an issue. However, we've yet to find printing solutions that seem appropriate to the context and are hopeful the Slashdot crowd may have some ideas." Read on for some more specific criteria.
Talk to your doctor about BRAIN WORMS
By girlintraining
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2013-Aug-14 17:56
• Score: 4, Informative
• Thread
currently rolling out an electronic medical records (EMR) system in public health facilities...
Okay, good...
We're providing solar panels and battery backups for sites, which work increasingly well w
One cloudy day and your doctors can't access critical life-saving patient data... and people die. Might I suggest a generator, with fuel, like other hospitals have?
might be accomplished if we had low cost low power B/W printers available at sites so that critical information could be entered electronically and then printed out as needed, either for client carried purposes (transfers/visits to 'paper facilities') or to serve as local backup when power is an issue. However, we've yet to find printing solutions that seem appropriate to the context and are hopeful the Slashdot crowd may have some ideas."
Yeah, actually, just google for "battery powered printer". Amazon sells them. But I strongly suggest you fix your infrastructure problem (reliable power) before you increase your reliance on it as you are proposing...
Refurbished LaserJet 4000/4050
By jabuzz
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2013-Aug-14 18:01
• Score: 3
• Thread
Seriously they can be had quite cheap on the refurb market, and they are built like tanks. They will **easily** do a million pages though you will need to service them with maintenance kits these are cheap. I have seen them going strong at over 1.5 million pages. Most of the second hand ones are at a tiny fraction of these sorts of page numbers. Spares are readily available, if they don't have network cards, then JetDirects are dirt cheap on eBay. Compatible toner cartridges are really cheap as well. Might need memory upgrades, these are cheap as well.
In the end they don't build them like this anymore.
For freezer proof labels then you need specialist label printers with specialist labels. They are not cheap to buy or run...
Dot-matrix printers
By denzacar
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2013-Aug-14 18:01
• Score: 3
• Thread
Cost per page is practically zero.
Unless you fry the electronics any maintenance is strictly mechanical in nature - no surprise issues with drums or fuser-kits needing replacement or anything ink related (from leaking to clogged nozzles).
Ribbons can be refurbished and re-inked OR you can use carbon paper like back in the typewriter days - and depending on the printer and acceptable quality of the printout you can use carbon paper to print several copies at once.
Perforated paper is not a "must" - sheets work just as fine.
Only issue being that if your sheet feeder does not work you have to put them in manually one at a time.
Re:Impact printers and thermal printers
By bill_mcgonigle
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2013-Aug-14 18:03
• Score: 4, Informative
• Thread
Agreed. It's even possible to re-ink the ribbons in the field if the labor is less valuable than the cost of a replacement ribbon.
The one other thing that might be considered would be an inkjet with a continuous feed ink system. The ink is only expensive if it's purchased singly - by the gallon it's fairly inexpensive. Inkjets might be lower power than dot-matrix.
Don't trust thermal output for more than a year, and the paper is expensive.
For specimen labelling, you pretty much need a Zebra stripe printer for top-quality solution. They're not cheap, especially since you'll want an on-site spare. A Dymo label printer might get by if no substantial longevity is required of the labels and you use some of the third party freezer labels. Those are very low power devices.
E-ink tablets?
By steveha
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2013-Aug-14 18:05
• Score: 3
• Thread
I am wondering if, by any chance, you could partially solve your problem with e-ink tablets.
I have a Nook Simple Touch, and it goes a long time between charges. A rooted e-ink device loaded with a copy of the medical records would allow looking up information with extremely low power needs. Nurses could carry these around and have all patient records at their fingertips.
You clearly need actual printers as well. I think some sort of inkjet printer will be your best bet.
Good luck, and sorry I couldn't give more useful advice.