ATLANTA, March 4, 1996 — Digital Equipment Corp. and Microsoft Corp. are networking 16 Solution Providers at the 1996 Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference in Atlanta, March 3-7, to demonstrate client-server applications in a typical health-care information technology enterprise. The Microsoft®
and Digital Virtual Health Network HL7/OLE demonstration shows the interoperability of multivendor hardware, software utilities and applications in a Microsoft environment. These capabilities are available to the health-care marketplace today as a result of the Digital and Microsoft alliance.
The network allows conference attendees to access information, such as patient and member demographics, laboratory results and radiology transcriptions, from any of the 12 servers located in 16 trade-show booths. Attendees will also be able to watch live data transmission over the switched Ethernet network, using Digital’s PolyCenter
™NetView®
running on the Windows NT
™
operating system version 3.51.
Digital’s multivendor customer services division planned, designed and installed the network. The multivendor network services group is managing the network throughout the conference. Digital’s DEChub 900 MultiSwitch
™
provides the network backbone, delivering flexible connectivity, configuration and operation. All aspects of the network are controlled and monitored via Digital’s HUBwatch
™
management software.
“We are very pleased to work with Microsoft and the other 16 vendors to demonstrate state-of-the-art technology that allows health-care providers to bring improved services to their customers,”
said Peter Hussey, vice president of Digital Network Services, Americas.
“Attendees can see how information on a high-speed network can improve their businesses and better serve their customers.”
OLE is a technology application that allows users to link applications and move data across all applications that support the OLE environment. Health Level Seven (HL7) is an industry data-interchange standard focused on health care.
Microsoft has been working with the HL7 committee to develop an OLE specification to simplify the data transfer between systems. Microsoft Chairman and CEO Bill Gates demonstrated OLE in health care during his keynote address at last year’s HIMSS Conference, generating tremendous interest among the health-care information system vendors and health-care providers.
“The virtual network demonstration is the first step toward a true computerized patient record,”
said John Carpenter, worldwide health-care industry manager at Microsoft.
“Instead of requiring health-care providers to have a large database, this demonstrates how health-care providers can share and access data simultaneously across different systems from a single user interface.”
Conference attendees who visit Digital’s booth (1435) will be able to view a variety of network technologies and services, including virtual local area networks (VLANs) and wireless and remote monitoring (RMON).
Digital Equipment Corp. is the world’s leader in open client-server solutions from personal computers to integrated worldwide information systems. Digital’s Intel®
and Alpha platforms, storage, networking, software and services, together with industry-focused solutions from business partners, help organizations compete and win in today’s global marketplace. (http://www.digital.com/info/internet).
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Digital, PolyCenter, DEChub 900 MultiSwitch, HUBwatch and the Digital logo are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corp.
NetView is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp.
Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corp.
