Motion Computing and Intel announced in a joint statement from UCSF (University California San Francisco), the new C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant (MCA). The MCA is a new category of computing created by Intel with help from Motion Computing to enable nurses, physicians and other medical professionals to do their jobs quickly, efficiently and while on the move.
Weighing approximately three pounds total, the C5 is made for mobile use. Because it was designed with the medical field in mind, after extensive research conducted by Motion Computing and Intel, it provides the ability for just about every job in the medical field. The new device has the ability to perform clinical documentation, administer medication, and take pictures.
It uses Intel Centrino technology and integrated high-speed wireless connectivity (802.11ABG), allowing medical professionals the ability to stay productive during the course of the day. As a patient, you might even notice the lack of a wait to see a nurse or doctor. The C5 was designed to allow medical professionals the ability to see more patients a day.
Wireless and Intel are not the only tech punch this little gizmo offers. If one were to max out the design and specs, you can have a 60GB hard drive and 1.5GB of RAM. The base configuration is 512MB RAM and 30GB hard drive. The processor speed is 1.20GHz and you have the ability to run Vista or XP as your operating system of choice. There is a built in 2.0 Megapixel camera, and barcode scanner. Sanitation is also easy to manage, as there are no open or exposed grills or ports unlike laptops. The monitor on the C5 is also sealed allowing cleaning cloths or solutions to be used.
Security is another feature with either a biometric scanner or RFID reader. Both of those options are standard. There is also ‘Trusted Platform’, which blocks transfer of restricted information, and allows access to only the data a user is authorized to view. If lost or stolen, there is also the option for Computertrace Complete.
Computertrace Complete is a service offered as an add-on, but one many Healthcare providers might take advantage of considering the recent events relating to private information loss or theft. Covering theft recovery, where the C5’s location via a hidden program is relayed to a monitoring center, once reported stolen the C5 can be tracked quickly. There is also data deletion, where if the C5 is lost (like FBI laptops) the hard drive can be remotely deleted. This will also help Healthcare providers stay HIPPA compliant.
“The Motion C5 and Intel’s MCA category are the outcomes of unprecedented research collaboration with clinicians, healthcare departmental leaders and our software development partners,” said Scott Eckert, CEO of Motion. “But it’s not just about the product; it’s about a greater infrastructure and incorporation of wireless and point-of-care software applications that will make integrating the C5 into a healthcare setting truly outcome-driven and sufficiently ground-breaking in changing the way people deliver and experience healthcare.”
“About eighteen months ago, we started with an idea to develop a product that helped nurses spend more time with patients,” said Paul Otellini, Intel president and CEO. “We used a series of early reference designs to get feedback in clinical settings around the world. Motion Computing innovated on top of this reference design to deliver a very compelling solution for nurses.”
Some of the companies that have started developing software and products to work on the C5 are Allscripts, Cardinal Health, Cerner Corporation, Epic Systems Corporation, Eclipsys Corporation, GE Healthcare, iSOFT, McKesson, NEXUS, Siemens Medical Systems Corporation and Welch Allyn.
Overall, this thing is neat. It is bound to makes things easier for Healthcare workers and medical offices worldwide. It will retail at base configuration for about $2200. After looking around the website for the C5, fully loaded with all the options, the total cost is just under $5000, and there is a ton of extras. If you want to learn more and see a flash demo, you can visit the Motion Computing website. The C5 is expected to start shipping in June.
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