MISINFORMATION  Is it true that one company's resting-ECG algorithm is somehow superior to another company's algorithm? We discuss computerized-ECG findings with physicians every day. The one question that we always ask is, “How often do you agree with the interpretative statements coming from the cardiographs?” We of course hear the occasional extremes “never or 95% of the time.” The most common answer, however, regardless of the cart manufacturer is, “60 to 75% of the time we agree with the computerized interpretation.”
When you transfer ECGs with interpretations from a cardiograph to Cardio Server, the original statements and measurements pass through to Cardio Server without modification. If you like your current algorithm you will still see the same data.
Is it true that wireless transmission from a specific manufacturer's cart is limited to their ECG managment system only by the FDA? No. Epiphany’s 510(k) registration included approval for ECG transmission from legacy and new carts via LAN and wireless LAN.
Is it true that transferring from carts to an ECG management system other than that of the cart manufacturer will void your cart warranty? No. Epiphany has many sites with carts transferring to Cardio Server without voiding the warranty.
Can Cardio Server accept wireless transfer from MAC 5000/5500 cardiographs? Yes. We have over a 100 GE carts transmitting ECGs wirelessly to Cardio Server.
Can I purchase Silex, wireless modems for my MAC carts from Epiphany? Yes. The modems come with instructions for installation by Biomed, telephone support, and the original Silex warranty.
Why do the competitors say that Epiphany is either going out of business or going to get acquired? We have heard a variety of rumors and mis-information over the last five years. This can happen when you displace older, staid companies in a monopolized market niche. We believe that robust competition benefits the end users with more features at better prices. We are growing, business is strong, and our customers are benefiting.
Why do the other manufacturers spend so much time talking about Epiphany? Because customers are talking about Epiphany. Cardio Server is a disruptive technology in a mature market. Epiphany is the fastest growing company in ECG management. We are giving those manufacturers a run for their money; it is worth giving us a close look.
What is Epiphany’s market share? We are winning about twenty percent of the current transactions in the ECG management market and growing.
Does Cardio Server allow users to select different ECG formats? Yes. The user can view, print, and save ECGs in five different lead formats (3x4, 3x4 1R, 3x4 3R, 6x2, and 12x1).
Can Epiphany accept signal averaged ECGs from other manufactures’ carts? Yes.
Other vendors now say they can take PDFs; does that make them equal to Epiphany? No, they are still catching up. Note that most of our modality imports have both alpha/numeric feeds and waveform-PDFs. When we receive the alpha/numeric data, we post it into editable fields. This is so much more than simply taking a PDF in for storage.
And, when we only get a PDF, we are doing much more than the competitors. Our PDF Import Tool allows the importation of any PDF to Cardio Server where we create a new modality in the database and populate all demographics with an ADT or orders feed. Our tool provides you workflow tools including a cover page for physician interpretation, forms (user-customized text inserts), electronic signature, HL7 messaging into the EMR, and administrative reporting. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Can we provide our own server hardware? Yes, utilize your preferred vendor for servers, Epiphany will provide specifications based on your testing volume. How many concurrent users does Cardio Server support? Cardio Server is scalable from 3 to 250 concurrent users. A concurrent user is not a seat license as with some systems. Concurrent users apply to anyone accessing the application simultaneously.
Can Cardio Server run in our Citrix environment? Yes, Cardio Server is compatible with Citrix but we do not require a Citrix environment.
Does Cardio Support sites in multiple time zones? Yes, Cardio Server does support multiple time zones Yes, Cardio Server is compatible with Microsoft.Net but we do not require it. Yes, Cardio Server is web-browser based. There is no client. All functions such as reading, editing, and printing can be done from any PC on your network subject to user privileges. No downloadable applets are required and all terminals on the network have full functionality. Pure web means Cardio Server runs in a standard web browser environment without ActiveX, Flash, or .Net. Pure web means interventionalists read STEMI with the previous ECGs on an iPhone. Yes; for users concerned with an enterprise wide critical system failure, a dual redundant server installation with automatic failover is often considered a necessity. Yes; VPN is an excellent way to provide physicians and others access to their ECG data from home or office. Yes; simply add Cardio Server to your regular backup procedures. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, Cardio Server is a web application running on your infrastructure.
Cardio Server utilizes File Maker Pro Sever 8 Advanced edition, which is XML, ODBC, and JDBC compliant. Cardio Server requires little day-to-day maintenance. Chief maintenance tasks include patch management, backup oversight, virus protection maintenance and periodic log review. Note that these recommended practices are generally no different than standard support for any other server – Cardio Server does not require specialized “care and feeding.” Yes, in most cases. Cardio Server has its own, internally developed HL7 tool that allows us to customize inbound and outbound HL7 messages to your specifications. Currently deployed interfaces include: Meditech Magic and Client Server, Cerner, McKesson, Siemens, GEMMS, EPIC, Opus, MedWinSys, Duke University Browser, Lumedx Apollo. The interfaces continue to grow; our web site maintains an up-to-date listing. Yes, in most cases. Cardio Server supports a Web API link and other technologies to receive requests from cardiology PACs to display 12-lead ECGs and other reports within the PACs viewer. A Web API is the interface that an application provides in order to allow requests for services to be made of it by other computer programs, and/or to allow data to be exchanged between them. In the case of Cardio Server, a Web API could be used to access ECGs from your PACS. No, all of Cardio Server's interface modules are fully integrated into our application. CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND IMPLEMENTATION Have any GE MUSE or Philips TraceMaster customers switched to Epiphany? Yes, we have migrated millions of ECGs from MUSE and TraceMaster.
How many companies are involved in producing, delivering, and supporting Epiphany products? One. Epiphany is responsible for the development, implementation, and support of our products. Yes, with staff on both coasts. Are upgrades, updates, new versions etc. included in the support agreement? Yes, Epiphany is the only provider in the ECG management market that keeps your application current for as long as you maintain the software-support agreement. Third-party license upgrades such as Microsoft Operating systems are the user's responsibility. Yes and no. If you provide your own server hardware, then your IT department is the front line of hardware support and Epiphany provides secure, remote-software support. If Epiphany provides your server hardware, then Dell supports your hardware locally and, as above, Epiphany provides remote-software support. Our entire application can be remotely installed and entirely rebuilt in the event of a catastrophic failure. We support systems in Alaska, Florida, Canada, Australia and Europe from our engineering facility in Durham NC. CLINICAL Does Cardio Server only store ECG data? No, Cardio Server manages data from twelve different modalities including: resting ECG, 12-lead ECGs from bedside monitoring, Holter, stress testing, event monitoring, pacemaker follow-up, cardiac rehab, defibrillators, PFT, ambulatory blood pressure, oximetry, EEG, non-invasive vascular. We are eager to add other modalities that you may require. ECG storage is a function of disc space on your servers; you can add space as you desire. Cardio Server can manage 4 million ECGs or more. Yes, we are always looking to expand the list of modalities and vendors that we have integrated. Just introduce us to your vendor and encourage them to work with us to create an interface. We do the rest. Yes, we interface to all major suppliers of stress systems. Check our website for the current list of interfaces. Yes, we interface to all major suppliers of Holter systems. Check our website for the current list of interfaces. Yes, we are compatible with Philips, Spacelabs, GE, and Siemens bedside monitoring. Cardio Server provides the most comprehensive editing functions in the industry including: drop down menus with check boxes, free text, acronyms or abbreviations, voice recognition support, and electronic calipers. Different favorites lists may be created for each physician in each reported modality. Yes, we find physicians utilize around 50 or so interpretive phrases most of the time. We let each reading physician customize their own list for each supported modality. Yes, if you are transferring ECGs with interpretations from a manufacturer's cardiographs, the statements and measurements pass through to Cardio Server without modification. Yes, Epiphany displays the interpretive statements and measurements generated by your existing cardiographs. Yes, Epiphany’s Intelligent Serial Comparison provides additional information to the reading physician on changes between the current ECG and the most recent tracing as defined by the established criteria of the institution. Yes, migrated ECG data is received in Cardio Server as though it was originally processed by Epiphany. Yes, serial comparison works with legacy cardiographs without interfering with the original interpretations and measurements from those devices. This is more a question for your equipment and device suppliers. If they are open in design, if they update their export functions to include the new features, and if they continue to export their data, then we will continue to be compatible. Cardio Server currently accepts data from over 50 devices, in 12 different modalities, from over 30 vendors. If this issue has been raised by a competitor, doesn't that speak volumes about their attitude regarding open architecture? Yes and no, this is more a question for your equipment and device suppliers. Epiphany can send orders via wireless and direct connection to our Cardio WiFi. We also have the orders format for Mortara and Schiller cardiographs. If you prefer another vendor for cardiographs, please encourage them to demonstrate open architecture and share their order formats with us. We are eager to work with all the major suppliers. Yes, Epiphany displays the interpretive statements and measurements generated by your existing cardiographs. Yes, the format saved by your cardiograph is presented in Cardio Server. Cardio Server is a real ECG management system as evidenced by its management features. Cardio Server stores the raw ECG file, provides workflow, allows physician on-line editing, supports automatic printing and report distribution, offers electronic calipers, and tallies procedures for management reporting. Cardio Server provides the most comprehensive editing functions in the industry including drop down menus with check boxes, free text, acronyms or abbreviations, voice recognition support, and electronic calipers. Cardio Server accommodates unique favorites for each physician in each modality. Cardio Server stores the raw ECG file in its original format, in our binary format, and as a vector-scalable PDF. Yes, since we transfer the raw ECG file to Cardio Server new measurements can be made with our on-line calipers. Yes. Yes, for some vendors' 12-lead ECG data we utilize Datamed format translators. Datamed translators are fully integrated into Cardio Server and do not require additional hardware. By the way, customers of GE, Philips, Siemens, Heartlab, and Cardiac Science use Datamed. The patient monitoring customers for GE and Philips are two of the largest users for Datamed because it allows Philips' patient monitoring to export to MUSE and GE patient monitoring to export to TraceMaster. EPIPHANY CARDIOGRAPHY PRODUCTS, LLC Does Cardio Server have 510(k) FDA registration? Yes, Cardio Server received its 510(k) registration as a Class ll device in November, 2005. Click here to view our letter of acceptance. A copy of the registration is also available upon request. Yes, the first sentence of Cardio Server's 510(k) registration states that it is available as a software-only application. Cardio Server was first deployed for use at Duke University in 2001. Our staff includes direct and contract employees numbering over 40 and growing. Yes. OTHER INQUIRIES Have a question not answered by our FAQ? Click here to contact us. We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible. |