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Filopto supports various diagnostic equipment from various manufacturers. Connectivity to the equipment is provided by the manufacturer of the diagnostic equipment with the use of various optional Filopto Connectors software modules.
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Typically you can divide the connectivity options of diagnostic equipment into two categories:
1.Image Based Diagnostic Equipment: Normally this is the type of equipment that outputs some form of graph or images. To connect to this equipment most manufacturers will require the purchase of special proprietary software (web based) directly from the equipment manufacturer which will provide access to their equipment output. Examples of these type of required software are: the Zeiss Forum, the Topcon Eyeroute and the Synemed and Optos connector. These software solution can be incorporated into Filopto using a special Filopto Connector which connects to the manufacturers software and allows users to access the patient images from within the Filopto exam screen. The connection to the software and to the proper patient information is normally done via some predetermined patient information which is handled by the Filopto connector. Typically, the actual images are not stored in Filopto but reside in the manufacturer equipment and software (per various legal requirement from equipment manufacturer).
2. Numeric Based Diagnostic Equipment: Normally this is the type of equipment that outputs primarily numeric data. To connect to this equipment you must typically use legacy communication ports (RS-232, RS-232 via USB or LAN connection). This equipment requires a physical port to be connected to a local PC. The output from this equipment is typically limited in content and typically is not identical in content to the printed output provided by the equipment. Most modern PC's will not have a legacy RS-232 port capability ( see Glossary of Terms for more information). Legacy com port card will need to be acquired for the PC to permit connectivity if your equipment uses the RS232 standard. Examples of connectors for such devices is the Marco Connect software. The Filopto connector transfers and saves the data in the Filopto exam record.
Legacy system, a term for out-of-date hardware and/or software still in use. An RS-232 serial port was once a standard feature of a personal computer. They are now considered a legacy port and are slow and complex in nature. They have been replaced by the USB port. Most modern personal computers have no RS-232 ports (primarily used from 1980 to 1990) and must use either an external USB-to-RS-232 converter or an internal expansion card with one or more serial ports to connect to RS-232 peripherals. Many manufacturers have stopped shipping RS-232 cards and converters and instead use a LAN TCP/IP network connection or a USB connection.
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How to activate Diagnostic Equipment
Depending on the manufacturer interface for the equipment you may be require to:
1) Install special software on a PC connected to the physical device
or
2) Save the data files from the diagnostic equipment to a central folder available to all networked workstations
and
3) Configure in the System Settings/EMR/Other Settings license keys/ or default settings to activate the connector
