The Informatics M.U.S.E

Recently, I was talking to a customer and he asked what I thought about a comprehensive informatics platform should contain. Currently, our focus is on Healthcare, but as I thought about it, I realized this applies everywhere. So, I said to him, "you have to have your M.U.S.E.". Ok, I am not talking about the Hollywood version with Sharon Stone, but the informatics version. So what is an informatics MUSE?
Measure
You have heard me harping about this over and over again. What are you measuring? Why are you measuring it? When you measure your business (healthcare or others), you understand your business better. So, measure everything that impacts your customers (internal or external)


Utilize
Alright, the second element for you to have a successful implementation, you need to have utilization modules. For example, in healthcare, you measure OR Utilization. Great, now that you know that your utilization is below 100%, what are you going to do about it? How about a OR scheduling module that allows you to maximize your OR scheduling? Utilize the information that you gathered during your Measuring process.

 SaaS (Software as a Service) it!
That's right, I said SaaS it. The biggest advantages between a SaaS solution for your business versus you buying the tools and technologies and building it yourself is cost savings and a much faster implementation lifecycle. It puts the focus on "information" and not the technology. Apprehensive about your data being hosted elsewhere? Don't be. Most reputable SaaS solution providers have hardened, HIPAA compliant Data Centers, with 24X7 monitoring capabilities.

Evaluate
That's right. Once your implementation is complete, constantly evaluate your data, decisions you make based on the data and evaluate your performance improvements. This'll allow you to revise your strategies on the go and allow you to make decisions as fast as small companies do.

So there, get your MUSE!

Cloud, cloud, cloud!!

Alright, now that I have your attention by throwing out the biggest buzzword of recent times (watch it, if I still don't have your attention, I might start talking about 2012!!), I cringe every time I hear the word Cloud Computing being equated with "redundant data storage", "ASP" (application service provider) model applications, "load balancing" and "SaaS". Can I throw out some simple definitions out there? No? Well, I am going to, anyway!

SaaS - Software as a Service. Much like leasing a car. Instead of paying a one time purchase price, you pay over time. It is not new architecture or software, folks, it is a method of payment.

Load Balancing - You call in to a call center. "Please hold while we find the next available representative....". Not new architecture or software. Just finding the next available resource to answer your question.

ASP - Application Service Provider. Bill Pay Online anyone? Also, see SaaS. Not new architecture or software.

Storage of Data at Multiple Locations - Redundancy? Mirroring? Disaster Recovery? Not new architecture or software.

So, my dear sales person, please read Wikipedia before you call your application "Cloud enabled" or "water vapor" or any new term that your marketing folks thought up.

Internal Directive to Meta Analytix employees:
Starting immediately, please re-do our website and use the word "Cloud Computing" everywhere.
Sales: Please tell everyone our products are "SaaS enabled" and "Cloud Enabled".
Marketing: Please come up with some snazzy terms. I am thinking "SaaSy" or "Cloudy"
Technology: Enjoy your vacation. I will see you all next year.

--Your President

Buzz (kill) Words!

If you have talked to a technologist or a technology sales person lately, you have certainly heard of SaaS, Cloud, Disruptive Innovation etc. Hmmm... "disruptive" innovation? Do you really have to say that innovation is "disruptive"? Didn't people stop riding horses to work when cars came around? So, when you are trying to choose your informatics solution, kick the first sales person that tells you that their solution is "in the cloud"!

Cloud is Water Vapor!
Don't believe me? Ask Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UYa6gQC14o). So what prompted him to give a (ahem) "passionate" speech about the cloud?
Let's examine the facts. If you really want to put your software "in the cloud", a fundamental engineering shift is needed than what is being purported as cloud computing. The closest thing we have seen to a truly "cloud" architected software, is the screensaver that SETI(Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence...to you and me, that is looking for E.T! ) put out 10 years ago (http://www.planetary.org/news/2009/0521_SETIhome_Celebrates_10_Years_of.html). Yes folks, "Cloud" computing happened back then! People downloaded the screensaver, and when they were not using their computers, the screensaver kicked in and started analyzing data for SETI, sending data back to their main computers once the analysis was done.

What is being sold as "cloud" computing today is nothing but a software that resides on one or more servers at the vendor's data center. In other words......wait for it....an ASP model! Remember that term? Application Service Provider model? Remember all the VCs who wanted to invest only in ASP model companies? Now, here is the kicker. Application Service Provider - Software as a Service (SaaS). You "lease" the software. Just like leasing a car. See the similarity? Are you seeing a pattern here? So, yes, I agree with Mr. Ellison..." we change the term and think that we have invented technology...".

The point being, forget cloud, forget SaaS, look for "functionality" in the software. Can it deliver what you need? Once you have ascertained that, then you can think of where it is going to be hosted!