Meeting specific criteria is daunting and for an EMR project to be truly effective and compliant with official regulations it will require a reliable mobile computing solution that offers security options like fingerprint scanners and smartcard readers. Durability is also a critical element in order to withstand inevitable bumps, drops and spills at the point of care.

I recently discussed critical points for EMR deployments in a blog post titled ‘It’s All About The System…’ The post is worth reading if you are in the process of rolling out an EMR and in search of tips for a successful IT system.

Make no mistake: IT has a wide array of issues and challenges to contend with when it comes to keeping its organizations productive and safe with minimal technology downtime. However, how many times have you heard someone say they felt strangled by the technology noose around their neck? Gary Hemel of the Wall Street Journal Management 2.0 blog published an interesting post on the topic last November that posed the critical question: “Do IT staffers really believe that conscientious, committed employees turn into crazed, malicious hackers when you give them a bit of freedom over their IT environment?”

This question surfaced again earlier this month after we came across Jennifer Bélissent’s post that discussed her enthusiasm and excitement over her brand new Toughbook laptop though she hasn’t yet been allowed to use it to its fullest.  It’s a great example of a credible user (Jennifer is a respected analyst with Forrester Research) who is patiently waiting for IT to flip the switch.

Organizations are finding that when people are given technology that is purpose-built for their jobs, they’re better able to perform those jobs. PCSC president, Rance Poehler recently addressed this topic, as well as the need for more flexibility in device selection, as a means to drive real efficiencies and cost savings within organizations.

A recent IDC Worldwide Mobile Worker Population Forecast found that nearly 75 percent of the U.S. workforce will perform jobs outside the traditional office space by the end of 2011. What’s more, there are a growing number of organizations allowing employees to use their own personal notebooks. A recent survey from Gartner cited that 43 percent of respondents have specific policies that allow the use of employee-owned devices. With the majority of our workforce being mobile and many of them using their own personal equipment, IT professionals will necessarily move away from strict standardization and towards an era where device selection is tied to the workflow, needs and environments of their end users.

The shift away from a sole-sourced corporate standard is already happening. We applaud those organizations that are helping to change that mindset.

For years, rugged has been defined, measured and misunderstood in many ways, causing confusion for those trying to understand whether they should purchase products with this distinction.  The GCN report paints a clear picture, explaining the history of rugged, how rugged technologies have grown, how ruggedness is measured, and how users can determine if and how they should deploy rugged technology.

Areas addressed by the report include:

• How rugged technologies are expanding beyond laptops
• Understanding rugged testing
• Why it’s not just the computer that needs to be rugged
• The 12 recommended steps for considering a rugged device
• Rugged products being developed for specific operating environments

The report shows that rugged technologies will be developed to support the many environments government and military personnel find themselves in.  As a result, public sector employees need to understand how rugged technologies can positively impact their jobs.  The GCN Rugged IT Report is a great guide for this, so I’d encourage you to give it a read and discover new methods for boosting job productivity and performance.