The successful deployment of DocuTrack involves several key components:
In most cases the server hardware and associated fax-server board will be provided by Integra as part of the system purchase. The server specified by Integra will be capable of handling the licensed number of pharmacy and provider workstations with additional room for reasonable growth. The remainder of the components must be provided by the customer.
Telephony
DocuTrack includes an integrated fax server and fax board. This fax server software is installed on the server along with the fax board. The fax board is the hardware component that enables the server to send and receive faxes. It also enables each workstation connected to the DocuTrack server to send and receive faxes. Fax boards are available in two distinct types – analog or digital. Each fax board can support anywhere from 2 to 24 lines per fax board, plus you can have multiple fax boards installed in a server. For larger installations Integra recommends that the fax server and board be installed in a separate server.
Note that it is the customer’s responsibility to provision the telephone lines in preparation for use by DocuTrack. In addition, Integra requires that the customer provide an on-call telephone system consultant who can work with Integra to resolve any/all telephone system or line carrier issues in conjunction with the installation of the system.
There are also a couple of additional points to consider with respect to configuring telephony with DocuTrack – 1) It can take 3 to 6 weeks to provision a digital line – failure to get this ordered may delay the implementation of a system; 2) Integra does NOT recommend that the digital lines run through a PBX. 3) The fax server is a critical piece of the DocuTrack system. While it is a highly reliable component, Integra always recommends that contingency plans be put in place in the event of a failure.
Network
DocuTrack requires the presence of a high-speed local area network (LAN). This network must be at 100Mbit or greater speed and switched to the desktop. If the DocuTrack server is located off-premises Integra recommends that Terminal Server or Citrix be used, although this increases the complexity of the system installation.
Workstations
It is the customer’s responsibility to setup and provision each pharmacy or provider workstation. Each workstation must be equipped as follows:
Server
The servers provided by Integra for use with DocuTrack are large continuous-duty servers equipped with multiple processors, large SCSI RAID hard drives, 2Gb+ RAM, split back-planes, dual network cards and redundant power supplies. Unless specially requested, these servers are rack-mounted. The servers are covered by an on-site 4-hour response service contract.
Note that Integra only provides the server and associated fax board. It is the customer’s responsibility to provide the following:
Scanner
The use of DocuTrack in a pharmacy will likely require the use of a scanner to input additional documents into the system. Examples of such documents include telephone orders, delivery receipts, etc. It is the customer’s responsibility to procure and setup the scanner if one is desired. The scanner must be capable of sending high-quality images of scanned documents to DocuTack.
Integra is continually engaged in the process of testing and qualifying a wide variety of scanners from assorted manufacturers. In general there are two types of scanners that can be used with DocuTrack – 1) scanners that are connected to a computer; and 2) stand-alone network scanners.
At present Integra recommends that customers purchase HP 9200c scanners. The HP 9200c is a medium-duty network scanner that can handle up to 50 pages per job, produces high-quality color images, and can be easily setup and configured.
PIS Interface
A key component to the DocuTrack system is its interface to the pharmacy information system (PIS). This interface enables system users to perform a variety of document management tasks within the pharmacy system. Historically such pharmacy system interfaces have been asynchronous and based on such technologies as HL-7. While this is adequate for the background exchange of information on a non real-time basis, HL-7 is inadequate for the sophisticated real-time interaction between two mission-critical applications. Furthermore, other interface approaches such as screen-scraping are extremely fragile and do not support even the most rudimentary processes commonly encountered in pharmacy operations.
It was based on Integra’s experience with these technologies that Integra created the DirectConnect interface protocol between pharmacy systems and DocuTrack. This interface standard is supported by ALL the leading pharmacy information system vendors and supports the real-time exchange of information between the pharmacy system and DocuTrack. In certain cases the customer will have to obtain a DirectConnect interface from their pharmacy information system vendor.