Mobile computing overview

Learn the purpose of the mobile computer module, and the information that can be created, updated, or accessed on a mobile computer.

Overview

The Mobile Computing module provides the ability to use Cornerstone software outside the practice. After returning to the practice, the data on the laptop can be downloaded/synchronized to the main practice database. The database on the laptop is also updated to match the main database.

Some possible scenarios where this module would be valuable include:

• Large animal or equine practices where veterinarians need to travel to see patients
• Practices that run vaccination clinics
• Doctors who want to update medical notes or correspondence from home

Menu options

The Mobile Computing options are located on the Tools menu. Some tasks can only performed on the laptop/mobile computer and others can only be performed from the server or a regular workstation/main system.
Note: If you are on a mobile computer, the name of the laptop will be displayed in the title bar. If the workstation is part of the network/main system, it will say Cornerstone in the title bar.

The other options on the Tools menu (Merge client/patient, Mass markup, Purge data, etc.) cannot be accessed when a laptop/mobile is created/in use.

To access other options on the Tools menu:

• Synchronize all laptops.
• Undo the laptops: The mobile computing list will be empty after every laptop is undone.
• Perform necessary functions from the tools menu, then re-create the laptops.

Using the Patient Visit List with mobile computing

If a patient has items on the Patient Visit List on the main system, those items cannot be viewed on the laptop. However, items may be added to the Patient Visit List on the mobile computer/laptop. When the synchronization process is run, items from the laptop’s Patient Visit List will be added to the Patient Visit List on the main system. Use care when adding items to the Patient Visit List so you do not inadvertently create duplicate entries.

Information that can be changed on a mobile computer

Understanding what types of information can be changed on a mobile computer/laptop will be easier if you remember that the information on the laptop is secondary to the information on the main practice server.

Some features in Cornerstone cannot be accessed from a laptop because this would cause the laptop database to conflict with your practice database when the synchronization process occurs.

Generally, information relating to clients and patients can be created or updated. The mobile computer/laptop can create and update:

• Client and patient information
• Patient weight
• Patient diagnosis
• Patient problems
• Patient medical notes
• Rabies/vaccine tag
• Reminders: See Reminder synchronization errors for information on how to avoid errors.
• Correspondence
• Estimates

Reminder synchronization errors

Synchronization errors will occur when:

• A call back reminder is updated on the mobile laptop that is also in the patient’s record in the main system/database.
• You generate a reminder for a patient on the mobile laptop that does not satisfy an existing reminder in the main database, therefore creating a duplicate reminder.
  • This will happen when related, interchangeable items generate the same reminder but are not satisfied with that reminder.
    Example: You might have both an annual exam code (ANNUAL) that reminds for itself and a multiple-pet exam code (MPEXAM) that also reminds for the annual exam code (ANNUAL), but is not set to satisfy for the annual exam code.
  • If a patient in the main database has a reminder for ANNUAL and the doctor invoices for a multiple exam on the mobile computer, the original reminder won’t be satisfied. Instead, the reminder is duplicated because the multiple pet exam code creates a second annual exam reminder with a new due date in the future.
  • The solution is to ensure that related items satisfy each others’ reminders, especially if they all generate the same reminder.

Access on the mobile/laptop

The following is a list of what can be created/not updated, viewed only, and what cannot be accessed at all on the mobile computer.

Related reports

• Mobile Computer Checkout Report