Physicians Practice - September 2008 - (Page 60) TECH DOCTOR usually have a button, or “key,” associated with each line. You can see if a line is in use if the key is lit/flashing/ etc. Applicable for small practices and sometimes available as used/refurbished for a reasonable price. Analog vs. digital: Stationsets are often referred to as either analog or digital. Analog stations are similar to your home phone, and in most cases are limited to basic features like hold, transfer, etc. Digital sets communicate in a more advanced way with a core PBX, and often have advanced features such as digital displays, touch screens, menu options, and programmable buttons. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): Used to describe phone systems that operate over existing computer net- works, VoIPs are usually deployed in medium to large environments. While eliminating the need for dedicated wiring, the fact that VoIP systems share their pipes with other data (such as e-mail) on your network can require advanced setup both for the phone system and your computer networking hardware (routers and switches). POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service): POTS lines are what most of us have in our homes. When buying smaller phone systems, sites often simply buy a few POTS lines. PRI (Primary Rate Interface): The PRI is a special line that is the equivalent of 23 voice channel POTS, but is usually cheaper. If your practice is so large that it requires more than 15 to 20 inbound/outbound lines, consider moving up to a PRI instead of using POTS lines. Using a PRI requires your PBX to have a PRI module installed (not all systems support PRI use). LEC/CLEC (Local Exchange Carrier, Competitive Local Exchange Carrier): These refer to your local phone companies. The LEC is usually the oldest phone company in your area, and is likely providing service to your home. CLECs are newer competitors and often offer very competitive pricing on POTS/ PRI lines. As with any purchase, you should require written proposals/estimates and a signed contract before you allow system installation to begin. Establish a required completion date for installation and a timeframe post-installation (usually 30-60 days) that allows you to have the vendor return if necessary. Do your homework, and you will end up with a phone system you can truly use. • Jonathan McCallister is a client-site IT manager for a major healthcare consulting firm, and he is currently assigned to a 140-physician practice. He has worked in healthcare IT management for more than eight years and in general IT management for more than a decade. He can be reached via abeckel@physicianspractice.com. 60 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | SEPTEMBER 2008 WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM http://intellisound.net http://intellisound.net http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM
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