We’ve shipped our latest software to beta testers. And we’ve given the product a name: Caristix Reader. Like Adobe Reader, it’s free.
Looking for more info on the beta and Caristix Reader? Here’s a stack of FAQs from our on-boarding calls with beta testers.
What does it do?
In a nutshell, Caristix Reader “reads” HL7 interface specifications:
- Reverse-engineer an interface profile or specification from a stack of HL7 messages.
- Navigate the profile, and edit it. Consult it whenever.
- Send a profile to a colleague or vendor. (They would need a copy of Caristix Reader to open a profile.)
What’s different about this software?
Caristix Reader provides a way to tackle one of the biggest constraints in HL7 interface implementation. Right now, it’s just too hard to grasp real-world interfaces and document them. There is a ton of valuable implementation-related information locked into the interfaces. With Caristix Reader, we’ve just made it easy to access that information.
How much does Caristix Reader cost?
People ask this question a lot. It’s free. It’s free now, and it’ll be free when we release the product.
Why are you making it free?
Because we want to change how interfacing works. There is so much opportunity to drive waste and risk out of the interface deployment process. The problem that Caristix Reader addresses is interface documentation. It’s just too hard to document working interfaces, and we wanted to change that in order to make HL7 implementation and maintenance easier. Besides, we want this free product to get out there as a Caristix calling card and ultimately support the adoption of our paid products. Some teams will be fine working with the capabilities in Caristix Reader. Others will find added value in using the rest of our product suite.
Which interface engines does your software work with?
All of them. We are vendor-agnostic across our platform.
Who’s eligible for the beta?
Hospital-based analysts. We see this product as useful primarily to hospital teams and consultants who work for hospitals. Once the software is released, it’ll be available to everyone.
How long will the testing last?
About one month.
What do you need to run the software?
System requirements are as follows:
- Operating system: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7: 32 or 64-bit editions
- .NET 3.5 framework
When will Caristix Reader be made available publicly?
In the fall of 2011.
What’s special about this beta?
Well, it’s the first time we’ve gone out to the HL7 community at-large, to folks who aren’t specifically our customers, to folks who don’t know us from Adam. And the feedback has been great. When I demoed a prototype of Caristix Reader to an analyst who signed up for the beta, he said, “That’s a lot more than I was expecting.” That was great to hear.