How do I retrieve and view the data in the repository?

MAINSOURCE has developed client (desktop) applications and tools to acquire, scan, view, navigate and index objects managed by MAINsuite. These components can be utilized in a standalone fashion or easily integrated with existing applications in developing comprehensive information management solutions. MAINsuite technology has also been designed to operate behind Web servers to support the next generation of Internet and Intranet solutions.

How does MAINsuite help people to access their own healthcare information?

The MAINsuite product family enables healthcare institutions to create secure, scalable applications for accessing clinical information over the web. MAINsuite enables new connections with patients themselves, since it works over the Internet and firewalls. Furthermore, MAINsuite's robust security and control means that each individual gets a personalized view of the data - so they see only what they should see.

Does MAINsuite require a special Web browser or Web server to access information?

No changes need to be made to either the browser or a Web server. The MAINgateway™ product interfaces the Web server to the MAINsuite repository.

MAINgateway operates as the gateway between a web server, applications and either the MAINenterprise or MAINlite products, and provides for operation within Intranet/Extranet environments. MAINgateway features include state management, support for OS specific security features, intelligent management of network traffic based on MAINsuite's "Level 7 information switch", dynamic caching, and the ability to deliver complex data in MIME, HTML and XML formats.

Do we have to translate all our hospital data into a "MAINsuite" format?

With MAINsuite, all objects are maintained in their native form; they are not altered in any manner. When an data object is requested by a client service, desktop or application, the object is retrieved and presented to that service which knows what methods can be applied to that particular object. For example, a patient record application might request HL7 content, radiology images, tabular data from a relational database, and scanned images of a doctor's notes. Through the browser, users can also launch native applications, such as a radiology viewer, to support advanced viewing and annotating operations.

Does MAINsuite use proprietary interfaces and data formats that will lock my hospital in to your solution?

The MAINsuite product architecture is built around the use of open standards for both data formats and interfaces to protect our client's investment in information technology. That includes transparent handling of client data types and a built-in API (Application Programming Interface) to integrate healthcare applications, and customer built applications into seamless solutions.

Our hospital has a number of existing electronic patient record management systems. Will MAINSOURCE product work with these applications?

MAINsuite can work with an existing system to augment its web capabilities, or it can be used to produce an enhanced clinical document management solution by its unique approach to integrating external information sources into a comprehensive, transparent, information repository.