ASAP Medical will use emerging and proven technology to provide healthcare providers with low-cost,
reliable, robust, secure, and easy-to-use services for use in medical practice management.
Technologies that figure prominently in ASAP Medical’s current version of ASAPOnline are:
Microsoft Dot Net
Security
Redundancy
Data Integrity
Microsoft Dot Net
Dot Net refers to Microsoft’s enhancements and additions to the XML standards-based platform
for Web database communications that makes the long promised Internet business-to-business
transactions a reality.
This business-to-business “environment” is the latest development in the march towards
integrated and automated business collaboration through the Internet.
ASAPOnline is a leader in the development of Practice Management Services using Dot Net
technology, and expects to realize several benefits from this:
Easier, Faster Business-to-Business Integration – The latest innovation to debut on the
Business-to-Business (B-to-B) stage is Microsoft’s Dot Net environment, which automates some
of the programming necessary for businesses to exchange data. In some cases, just an agreement
to allow access to each other’s databases is all that is needed. This is a major departure from
previous B-to-B solutions where a number of projects died on the vine, due to significant
software programming necessary to allow B-to-B integration between disparate companies.
Standard Security Environment – Using Dot Net’s Passport capability allows near universal access
from any Internet-enabled computer, regardless of operating system. Using the computer’s browser,
username and password enables access to be made on the fly. This important aspect allows highly secure
ASAPOnline access to any provider in need of patient records, even those who are not subscribers to
the Service. ASAPOnline’s security meets HIPAA regulations.
Robust Data Conversion – BizTalk servers, with their ability to automatically configure themselves
to communicate with each other, allow the various suppliers and customers in the ASAPOnline network
to easily connect, exchange, and modify each other’s records.
ASAP Medical will use Dot Net technology to surpass large, established players who are locked
into client-based software models, while, also out-maneuvering XML competitors. To see a version
of this strategy at work, simply study the bold initiative by auto insurance company Progressive,
which has saturated print, airwave, and Internet media with it’s challenge to buyers to “call us for
a quote and we’ll also give you quotes from three of our competitors.”
Before XML, this innovative marketing campaign would have been nearly impossible to implement.
The advent of XML means such a project is possible, but still difficult because of the development
commitment each participating insurance company would have to make. Dot Net simplified implementation
of business-to-business collaboration to mostly securing agreements between companies.
Security
HIPAA regulations outline stringent criteria for protecting the privacy of patient electronic records.
ASAPOnline is a browser-enabled solution that complies with those HIPAA regulations.
Any personal computer with Internet access (dial-up, DSL, LAN, etc) and Internet Explorer 5.5 with
128-bit encryption or higher can easily access ASAPOnline. Account-level access is granted by the
account security settings controlled by ASAPOnline or by the client access administrator.
ASAPOnline is engineered on the Microsoft .Net platform. This is the most secure operating
platform to date. The granular security and powerful tools for authentication and encryption/decryption
will provide the greatest security available to commercial entities. ASAPOnline conforms to all aspects
of Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA)’s Internet Security Policy and the software will also
be fully HIPAA compliant. (The physical locations and transport services will also be certified as HIPAA
compliant). As HIPAA final specifications are made up to the October 2002 and March 2003 deadlines,
ASAPOnline will be immediately updated to ensure full compliance with all standards. As worldwide
vulnerabilities appear and technologies improve, ASAPOnline’s encryption and other security features
will be updated. This combination of firewalls, authentication, encryption, etc. will ensure the greatest
security of data currently available. ASAP Medical will also consult with client groups to assist
them in securing “their end” of the security spectrum to meet HIPAA guidelines.
Redundancy
ASAPOnline will be delivered via the web, with a 99.999% uptime performance target availability of ASAP
Medical’s web servers. The ASAPOnline infrastructure can be scaled to accommodate growth by adding additional
hardware and/or services as needed to ensure quick response times and efficient task processing.
ASAPOnline will deploy redundant systems to ensure extraordinary system availability. While ASAPOnline
cannot foresee regional disasters, etc., normal communications outages, local fires or local damages will
not cut access to the processing systems. Three separate and redundant data areas will ensure that any
single outage will automatically re-route requests to the second or third site allowing uninterrupted
access for clients and ensure the storage and security of all data. Preventive maintenance will be
performed during typical off-hours and on one site at a time. At no time will multiple sites be inaccessible
or serviced except in an emergency situation. Each data site will have multiple redundant data drives backed
up to tape daily. In the event of a site failure, current and accurate data can be restored from one of the
backup sites or from tapes.
Data Integrity
Data conversion to ASAPOnline has been determined to be a necessary and essential component to all clients.
Migration of existing/legacy data to the ASAPOnline system can be done through a number of options.
The most common option will be an export in the format(s) supported by the client’s existing system(s).
ASAPOnline conversion teams will analyze comma Delimited Value (CDV), or any other field export values.
The exported data will be directed to the appropriate import field for like data on the ASAP Medical system.
Initial export/import tests will be run to verify the accuracy of the conversion prior to the full export being
performed on the client’s existing platform. Automated and manual quality assurance (QA) testing will be
performed on imported data to ensure successful importation of client data as well as accuracy of the imported data.
The client will approve data integrity before the conversion is considered ”complete.”
