Google Health makes medical records available

Google is offering people electronic access to their medical records. Google announced the launch of Google Health on Monday. Google Health will allow users to import records from health care providers and pharmacies. Google tested the storing of medical records with volunteers before going live.

EarthLinks says no more to Philly Wi-Fi

EarthLink is pulling out of Philadelphia's trouble wireless high-speed Internet network. It was once thought of as a model for how big cities should deploy a wireless network. EarthLink could not find a buyer for the $17 million network and talks about giving it to the city or a non-profit all failed since it would cost taxes payers millions each year to keep it working. EarthLink will stay focused on its core customers who use dial-up and casual users who want an economical plan.

Comcast may put cap on Internet usage

Comcast Corp. is considering setting an official limit on the amount of data that subscribers can download per month and charging a fee for those who go over. With music and movie downloads becoming more widespread, Internet service providers are trying to figure out ways to keep the traffic flowing so those who use excessive bandwidth do not slow down the network for everyone else. Comcast has tried calling customers directly who use more than the typical 2 gigabytes a month and asking them to decrease their usage. Customers who receive such calls often do not know there is a ceiling on bandwidth usage. Setting this limit may solve that unknown.

WiMAX voint venture deal close for Clearwire

Sprint Nextel Corp. and Clearwire Corp. are combining their wireless broadband units to form a multi-billion dollar communication company. Clearwire, the name of the new company, will concentrate on rolling out a mobile network based on the emerging WiMAX standard. WiMAX promises faster download speeds than the latest networks run by cell-phone operators, and it's even seen as a potential competitor to fixed-line broadband. Comcast Corp., Google Inc., Time Warner Cable Inc., and others are close to a deal with Sprint Nextel and Clearwire to form a joint venture to market high-speed Internet or video on mobile devices. Investors are contributing a total financial investment of $3.2 billion

Doctors hesitant to use email with patients

With so much communication being done electronically, one might find asking your doctor a question to be just as easy. But many physicians prefer not communicate with their patients through email. Many people would like the convenience of email for non-urgent medical issues, but fewer than one-third of U.S. physicians answer their patients through email. Reasons include worry of an increased workload, possible compromise of patients private records, and also possible liability if a patient emails an urgent inquiry and the doctor doesn't respond in time. Physicians that do email their patients find it takes just as much time as a phone call. The American Medical Association says that emailing should not replace face-to-face time and encourages doctors to explain to their patients the limitations of technology.

Comcast wants Bill of Rights for P2P

Comcast Corp., under federal investigation for interfering with the traffic of its Internet subscribers, wants to develop a "Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" for file sharing.
Last month, Comcast said that the company will no longer single out file-sharing traffic and blocking some of it, but will move toward a system that treats all types the same. The document would codify "best practices" for Internet providers to deal with file-sharing traffic, which can place substantial loads on the networks of cable companies. It would also clarify what controls consumers should have over peer-to-peer (or P2P) file-sharing applications on their computers. Some of these applications are often designed to run in the background, and give the user little insight into what they're doing or how much resources they're using. Pando Networks Inc., is joining Comcast and supporting the "Bill of Rights."

CyberPatrol purchased by midstate investors

CyberPatrol, considered among the leading software products parents use to block Internet pornography, was purchased by a midstate investment group. CyberPatrol LLC, the company formed for the acquisition, is headed by Robert Bales, the president and CEO. Bales has been involved with several high-tech companies in recent years including PestPatrol and Exploit Prevention Labs, both Internet security companies. Bales plans to upgrade CyberPatrol and hopes to increase annual sales from $2M to $10M within the next few years.

PA ranks high for high-tech jobs

Pennsylvania jumped to seventh in the nation for states with high-tech jobs, according to Cyberstates 2008. Pennsylvania increased jobs in computer systems design and related services and also in the R & D testing lab.

Rendell signs Executive Order implementing Information Technology Initiative

As part of Governor Rendell's Prescription for Pennsylvania health care reform plan, the Governor has signed an executive order creating the Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, which is a framework that will give health care providers improved access to clinical data and lead to safer and more efficient patient-centered care. The Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, PHIX, will provide the information technology architecture to support statewide interoperable electronic health records and electronic prescribing by sharing data that is captured at the point of care in a physician office or hospital. Most doctor's offices, hospitals, laboratories, and pharmacies now have their own separate information systems. With an information exchange, those entities will be able to share information with various health care providers and other authorized parties for treatment purposes.

Downtown Pittsburgh's Wi-Fi service a donation

aspStation, a Bloomfield Internet service provider and data center has run Pittsburgh's Wi-Fi service for the past four months without pay. They signed a three-year agreement with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership at the end of January, but they were not ready to announce at that time. aspStation is providing the service free to the city, but it comes as a donation. They replace US Wireless Online filed for federal Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Oct. 8. Wi-Fi users Downtown get two hours of free access each day. After that, a monthly fee of $14.95 applies, but aspStation has not been collecting those fees. Within the next two weeks, aspStation will introduce "a newer, lower monthly rate," as well as a daily rate for the first time.

Somerset County aiming for county-wide broadband

A priority in 2008 for Somerset County is to achieve county-wide broadband service. County officials have partnered with local business organizations, including the Somerset County Chamber of Commerce’s technology committee. Bringing broadband to everyone in the county has been a goal of the Chamber for the past decade and they have made people aware of how important it is. Some communities in the county have had some success in 2007 with Verizon’s Bona Fide Retail Request program, which allows rural communities to obtain high-speed Internet service early by demonstrating demand in their respective service areas. Broadband will help with school, health care, and emergency needs and could attract more business to the area.

College cell phone alerts sign up minimal

With several college shootings over the past few years, many campuses across the nation have deployed a cell phone alert system. But not many are signing up to receive the alerts. Leaders in this industry report an average of less than 40% of students, faculty, and administration have signed up for the service. Some of the reasons could be reluctance to give out personal information and financial barriers, even though it is an extremely minimal amount cell phone companies charge to send/receive text messages. Colleges are informing parents of the services hoping they will encourage their children to sign up.

Chip speeds up data flow

Lightwire, a Lehigh Valley company, has developed a chip, using existing materials, that speeds up data flow between computers. It's a silicon-based optical transceiver that converts light to electricity and back at 10 billion bits of data per second. The combination technology is attractive because silicon chips process information well, while traditional optical chips are ideal for carrying data at high speeds and over long distances. Companies have been developing faster, cheaper, and more compact ways to transfer data between computers. Lightwire's product requires the least power, provides the best signal integrity and is the cheapest. They will begin providing samples of the chip to potential customers soon.

T-Mobile testing low cost landline service

T-Mobile, a cell phone carrier, is testing its hand as a landline phone company. They started testing a $10 per month wired phone service to their wireless customers in Dallas-Fort Worth and Seattle. The service, called Talk Forever Home Phone, will provide unlimited local and domestic long distance calls. It will piggyback on the customer's high-speed Internet connection. When customers sign up, they pay $50 for a T-Mobile's Internet router. Subscribers must be signed up for at least a $39.99 per month wireless plan

HIE to link Philadelphia hospitals and physician practices

Main Line Health, a five-hospital health system, has chosen Warminster, a Pa-based MobileMD's technology and outsourced services, to create a health information exchange (HIE). Warminister will establish connectivity between its health systems and affiliated physician practices. Those participating physician practices will be able to access lab results, radiology reports and transcribed reports in real-time, transferred directly into their different electronic medical record systems. The five Main Line Health hospitals are Bryn Mawr, Lankenau, Paoli, Riddle Memorial - all community-based acute care facilities - and Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. The health system includes more than 1,300 physicians and surgeons, and a network of outpatient, home care and long-term care programs.

Jefferson Regional Medical Center recieves grant to go digital

Jefferson Regional Medical Center recieved a $87,000 federal grant to help the hospital become a "digital hospital." The grant money will help to eliminate an outdated patient records system that is based on paper records. The Jefferson Hills hospital has already invested money into an electronic system and will use this money towards the project. Electronic record keeping will help with prevention of errors and better patient safety.

RFQ - design and implementation of wireless network for Cheyney University

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania is undertaking a project that will involve the design and implementation of a wireless network. The final solution must provide a turnkey installation of wireless network access in designated areas.

Allegheny suburban school districts to connect through WAN

To keep up with the fast pace of technology, the suburban school districts in Allegheny County have agree to join its All Connect program, which aims at building a Wide Area Network. The network will allow districts to share resources -- including videos, classroom materials and software held by the Intermediate Unit -- over connections as fast as 1,000 megabits of code per second. The program is funded by a $2.35 million state E-Fund grant through the governor's office and the Educational Technology Fund, which is funded by telecommunications organizations such as Verizon and Comcast. Allegheny County is the last of the state's 29 Intermediate Units to come on board.

Grant money speeds development of Internet link between schools

Several Westmoreland County school districts will be able to speed up connecting their schools through a fiber optic network. They received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education's E-rate program, which provides discounted telecommunication services. The federal share is $605,482, which was matched by a Pennsylvania Department of Education Technology Fund (E-Fund) grant. Jeannette School District, with the assistance of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, led the way in securing funding for what is known as the Central Region Consortium. School districts joining Jeannette in this collaboration are Hempfield Area, Penn-Trafford and Yough, along with the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center and the Diocese of Greensburg. The funding will be used for high-speed Internet connectivity projects between schools. Districts will not only hook up all of their buildings, but also will be connected with the other involved districts.

McKean County hoping to gain funding for fiber optic network

McKean County and parts of neighboring counties may soon get a fiber optic telecommunications system with the help of McKean County's Industrial Development Authority. The IDA met with consultant Steve Zwerin and Insight Technology President Bill Gallegher to understand the concept of the telecommunications system - a “ring” which will provide redundant service to Port Allegany, Eldred, Smethport, Bradford, Lewis Run, Mount Jewett and Kane, as well as to points in between, including Bradford Regional Airport. Zito Media Communication would build the fiber optic loop. The high-speed, high-capacity network will serve hospitals, educational facilities and government offices, as well as commercial enterprises. Emphasis will initially be on commercial and governmental use, but service to residential customers may come later. The exact amount the construction will cost is not clear, but IDA secretary Ray McMahon mentioned $1.1 million.