Cobol - Oprhaned medical systems was Re: Conversion from MF Cobol to.....

Author

Oprhaned medical systems was Re: Conversion from MF Cobol to.....

Clark F Morris

2006-08-14, 9:55 pm

On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:17:55 GMT, "James J. Gavan"
<jgavandeletethis@shaw.ca> wrote:

>
>I just hit this one to-day about an hour ago. I had to go for a medical
> to qualify for renewal of my driver's licence. My GP, who is a
>computer freak, and the only pen he tends to hold is a light pen, was
>bemoaning his problems. He uses an extremely sophisticated piece of
>software that records his billings and submits to government for
>reimbursement etc, plus edging towards the 'paperless society' all his
>documents per patient are scanned so he can bring them up on screen. He
>claims the software cost $millions to develop; he joined the board of
>directors as a technical adviser.
>
>Now the company has been sold to another software house, who have given
>the system he knew the heave ho, and substituted their own. First off -
>database conversion - which the new folks did provide; he didn't
>elaborate but he incurred additional costs. He claims the new
>application is pitiful and the scanning feature is abysmal. Nearly
>forgot; for the new application he has had to buy new servers.

Is there a reason why the doctor couldn't stay with the system he had?
Did his contract give him legal access to the source of that system
with rights to upgrade and improve if that system was abandoned?
>
>With one receptionist, $23 per hour and now an assistant at $15 per hour
>to handle increased data input workload - their wages are gobbling up
>what he can make per hour !
>
>(Silly doctor. Go get a new system ! He can't can he ? He's in a
>Catch-22 situation locked into a system where costs would be prohibitive
>to switch to a brand new application).
>
>
>Jimmy

James J. Gavan

2006-08-15, 3:55 am

Clark F Morris wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Aug 2006 22:17:55 GMT, "James J. Gavan"
> <jgavandeletethis@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> Is there a reason why the doctor couldn't stay with the system he had?
> Did his contract give him legal access to the source of that system
> with rights to upgrade and improve if that system was abandoned?
>

Bear in mind this conversation is going on parallel to him doing my
medical for the driver's licence. Get rid of me and get in the next
customer to make some bucks - all in some 5-10 minutes. (So details
provided were very brief).

He's computer savvy, smart, a South African about 35-ish. Having had
input to the original system I'm quite certain he would have pursued it
if there was a specifically written contractual obligation.

Think of it from the general 'stuff', A/P, A/R and General Ledger that
probably many here write as loners or small software houses. *Providing*
the end result is the same, outputs, plus fairly similar inputs, does a
customer have any say if you alter the application under the covers ????
(Interesting legal point).

Further as a one-man band he has got to keep his show on the road
(profession). Would he be wasting a lot of time and money in pursuing
the thing to a possibly grey legal result.

Ever used the legal system ? 'The law is an ass'. I did once through
Small Claims Court, more the principle than the money involved.
Jiggery-pokery on the part of the other party caused the case to be
delayed for 18 months, by which time the corporate entity being 'sued'
was out of business, (wound-up), although the guilty party had set up
under another corporate name. Tokenly I won.

Then I find to be effective I have to go to the Sherrif's Office
(bailiffs) to put a squeeze on the assets of the new corporation. One
slight problem as advised by the bailiffs - if my 'squeeze' on their
assets has a detrimental affect on their operation - then they can turn
around and sue me ! The venture was no longer pursued.

Jimmy

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