Faxing in Synapse - which product to integrate ?

I want to improve upon this.

Here's the scenario:

Login using Synapse
Bring up patient and write prescription
Use a "Fax" button instead of a print button
This uses a Fax template that includes your signature ( in eps format and must be on the client PC)
The postscript prescription gets sent to the server which then stores it in an outgoing directory .. the file is named using a convention that includes the fax number ( which is taken from that patients' pharmacy settings ). The script is saved as per normal as well into the patient file.
Another service scans this outgoing directory, and using ghostscript, converts the file to pdf ( bearing your signature )
Snappyfax ( something Jason recommends ) is now able to take the pdf file ( it can't cope with PostScript ), and faxes it using the internal fax card
And you're done.

If you need to also send the "original" to the pharmacist .. another additional step is that the other service prints the prescription to a local printer with a cover address suitable for window envelope. In the AM, you pick up the scripts, sign them, and post out the originals to the pharmacist.

Cost of Snappyfax ? Jason will let us know ...

Snappy Fax is a solid product.

Integration into Synapse will be easy as it has a "neat feature".

Synapse will monitor directories and if a file is named properly, it will fax it according to the name.

ie. 413-333-4445 rx-template.pdf - would fax the .pdf document (whatever it is) to the fax number in the file name with optional cover letter: rx-template.



With integration into many Fax products being affordable, we should probably consider a Fax SDK and get a more robust solution. Although Snappy Fax with the above method would be great.

I still believe, you (the doctor) don't want to fax - you want to print/sign the paper and give it to your secretary. That is the fastest way.

See latest beta information on how to integrate snappy fax with latest client and server.

I guess I'll have to write a little server process to convert the postscript files to pdf ...

I've uploaded a Rebol script that you can use to convert the PostScript files to PDF using ghostscript.

Just change the variables to suit yourself.

Instructions included ... http://www.compkarori.com/emr/beta/snappyfax.r

Cool !! I'll be testing that in the office tomorrow.

Snappyfax install fails on Windows 2003 due to a default policy prohibiting kernel mode drivers.

You should follow the advice here http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/library/447dad75-28f5-4e99-80f8-17ad2359ba661033.mspx?mfr=true but do the opposite, and disable this policy. Note that kernel mode drivers tend to cause blue screens []

Installed snappyfax under window 2003 finally

set up a watch directory

ran the snappyfax.r Rebol script .. and it's all sweet. I had to make a small change for the script to work under windows 2003.

Snappy Fax Client ?

Or .. Snappy Fax Server with a Client ?

You must have setup Snappy Fax Client. Depending how Synapse performs faxing, it could be possible to just install the Client and have all the computers write .pdf files to the watched directory.

I just downloaded the client software ... not the server. sf3setup.exe

BTW, you should be able to fax any document ( letters, requests etc ) that are previewed in the postscript preview screen.

By default it shows the pharmacy fax number only. ( providing that you have this set up ).

Unfortunately SnappyFax's fax driver is not so good with pdfs. Even though the pdf looks like this

Joe Bloggs
123 Main Street
Somewhereville

it faxes like this

Joe Bloggs
123 Main Street
Somewhereville

Need to contact Snappyfax and see if they can fix this!

Snappyfax recommended that I print from Acrobat .. not an option!

I changed my snappyfax.r script to convert the ps files to .tif instead which appears to work ...though it seems to be generating an extra blank page.

I've also looked at HylaFax .. which can be installed as a Vmware appliance. Need to get some information on how to communicate with it directly via sockets as oppposed to using a windows printer driver.

Jason - did you try the snappyfax integration yet?

No. Top of the list though.

I'll have to find my Rebol program.

Ahhh .. lucky... it's on this drive.

I ran rebcmdview.exe and got this .. should I update ?

How do I load snappyfax.r ?

Place snappyfax.r in c:\rebol

Download Rebol/core and place it in c:\rebol

Edit snappyfax.r user variable sections

Write a batch file that says

and place it in c:\rebol

and run it ...

I have Rebol on a slave drive .. it used to be a Windows 2000 box. Should I install it on my C: drive ? It's an XP machine.

Download Rebol/core <--- how do i do that ?

Download http://www.rebol.com/downloads/core031.zip and unzip it to c:\rebol