Sun Microsystems Helps VA Hospitals Improve Patient Care14 February 2005
Sun Microsystems, Inc. ( Nasdaq: SUNW ) today announced that the Veterans Affairs Hospital ( VA ) has dramatically improved caregiver productivity by using the Sun Ray ultra-thin client solution for delivering highly secure and mobile access to all hospital patient records. The days of doctors and nurses handling folders containing confidential patient records has been transformed by the Sun Ray ultra-thin client. This state-of-the art technology has no hard drive, no operating system and consumes on average 80 percent less power than a typical desktop PC. Healthcare providers can attend to patients while electronically carrying their records throughout the hospital via the Sun Ray ultra-thin client's "hot desking" feature, allowing a caregiver's "secure session" to follow him or her automatically from thin client to thin client across the entire hospital campus via their individualized smart card.
"With the Sun Ray 'hot desking' solution, our doctors and nurses are able to access critical patient data at any Sun Ray within the medical center without the need to log on and off every time they move from room to room," said Charles T. Becker, Chief Financial Officer at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, PA. "In a primary care, multi-treatment room environment this can save up to 40 minutes per day - time that we can now use to focus on caring for our patients."
"Some of our most savvy healthcare customers such as the VA Hospitals are already reaping the productivity benefits of the Sun Ray ultra-thin client in a clinical setting," said Mike Haymaker, global healthcare industry manager for Sun. "The Sun Ray ultra-thin client offers a unique approach to physician mobility while supporting strict security and privacy requirements because no data resides on the desktop - it's all stored on the server. And, since the Sun Ray ultra-thin client itself requires virtually zero maintenance, ongoing IT support costs are significantly reduced."
Making applications easy to access without compromising security, the Sun Ray ultra-thin client leverages best-in-class Java Card( TM ) technology-enabled smart cards. The smart card feature is currently being implemented for the VA's Authentication and Authorization Infrastructure Project ( AAIP ) program. Doctors are able to gain access to secure medical records faster by using the smart card, including digital certificates. As a result, clinicians can focus more on patient care, rather than being required to log-in and out of there sessions as they move from one patient room to another. Patient records are now much more secure when accessed via Sun Ray ultra-thin clients instead of traditional desktop technology.
Upon inserting the smart card and entering a password, doctors at VA Hospitals have immediate access to patient files and other critical applications. Once the doctor has finished reviewing files, removes the smart card and walks away, the ultra- thin client display automatically turns blank and is locked. Sun Ray ultra-thin clients are located throughout VA Hospitals and clinics, in convenient locations such as emergency rooms and admission centers, allowing doctors to have easy and secure access to patient records as they move throughout the hospital.
Because there is no data, application, or operating system running on the Sun Ray ultra-thin client, it is immune to computer viruses. Additionally, since the Sun Ray ultra-thin client solution offers easy set-up and requires virtually no staff training or desktop administration, it provides a compelling alternative to PC desktop systems.
Recently, Sun introduced to the VA Hospitals the latest in mobile thin client technology from Tadpole Computer, Inc. Tadpole's Comet solution, a notebook form of Sun Ray ultra-thin clients, is complete with integrated and encrypted Wi-Fi which surpasses the security and management limitations of today's conventional personal computer platform, providing the healthcare industry with uncomplicated security with mobility.
"The medical market is proving to be a very interesting opportunity for the ultra-thin Sun Ray client architecture," said Mark Johnston, CEO Tadpole Computer, Inc. "The Sun Ray ultra-thin client was designed for applications like healthcare where patient privacy and HIPAA compliance are major concerns. These encrypted wireless clients and the Sun Ray ultra-thin client architecture are proving a big success with healthcare customers like the VA whose doctors and nurses need secure access to privileged patient data as they perform their hospital rounds. Based on current customer interest we expect to see many successful implementations of Sun Ray ultra-thin clients and Comet in the healthcare market."
About Sun Microsystems' Sun Ray Thin Client Technology
Sun Ray ultra-thin clients provide customers with an interoperable desktop computing solution that reduces the maintenance, upgrade, and operational costs associated with most desktop environments. The stateless nature of Sun Ray ultra-thin clients allows for complete session mobility, improves workflow, and helps ensure the protection of data. The Sun Ray 170 has a built in 17" flat panel display, which saves valuable desktop space. The Sun Ray 170 can also be wall mounted, and comes with a built in smart card reader. For more information, please visit: http://www.sun.com/sunray. The Sun Ray ultra-thin client 170 integrates Sun Ray client functionality with a 17-inch flat panel display into a sleek and elegant design. The compact design is ideal for tight desktop spaces such as
About Sun in Healthcare
Sun Microsystems and its partners are committed to delivering innovative technology solutions to meet the latest IT needs of healthcare providers. Sun's infrastructure and edge offerings are helping healthcare facilities improve the efficiency of the services they deliver and ensure best-in-class patient care. From radio frequency identification ( RFID ) to electronic medical records ( EMR ), Sun is leading the way in offering healthcare practitioners next-generation technology.
About Tadpole Computer, Inc.
Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Tadpole Computer is the leading provider of 64-bit UNIX, Linux and ultra-thin client notebooks to the federal government, enterprises and end-users in technical markets. In the mobile computing market Tadpole works closely with Sun Microsystems as a Sun iForceTM OEM Technology Partner to design, manufacture and customize products and services that are complementary and compatible with solutions from Sun Microsystems. Information on Tadpole and its products can be obtained at www.tadpolecomputer.com.
About Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision -- "The Network Is The Computer" -- has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. ( Nasdaq: SUNW ) to its position as a leading provider of industrial-strength hardware, software and services that make the Net work. Sun can be found in more than 100 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Kimberly Evans
415.762.2270
kim.evans@sun.com
Source: i-Newswire
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