2015-10-27

eClinicalWorks EMR use Mainpine IQ Express Fax Board products exclusively in their fax servers that use land-line telephone services.

Occasionally we are asked how the eCW EMR interfaces with Mainpine's products. Here is the basic idea...

For outbound faxes:

1. Fax documents are identified on the eCW data server by an eCW client application, and then they are "sent" (submitted) from there by the user.

2. The eCW data server dispatches the documents through the network to the eCW fax server.

3. The eCW fax server uses various software application to convert the documents into a single monochrome (Group 4, MMR) TIFF file with multiple images.

4. The eCW fax server submits the TIFF image to Windows Fax Service through the Fax Service API or an automated print-to-fax method.

5. Windows Fax Service manages the scheduling of the fax transmission. When the scheduled transmission time arrives, and when a modem is ready, it further prepares the TIFF image by adding the required "tagline" or "header" at the top of each page.

6. Windows Fax Service sends the outbound fax by passing the TIFF image along with other information to Mainpine's IQFSP software.

7. Mainpine's IQFSP software receives the fax submission from Windows Fax Service and uses a modem on the IQ Express Fax Board to transmit the images to the receiving fax system.

So, for outbound faxing the interaction flow is:

eCW data server --> eCW Fax Server --> Windows Fax Service --> Mainpine IQFSP --> IQ Express Fax Board --> remote fax receiver

For customers using Mainpine's On-line Fax Service the path is different, but similar:

eCW data server --> eCW Fax Server --> Windows Fax Service --> Mainpine MP_FSP --> Mainpine On-Line Fax Service --> remote fax receiver

For inbound faxes:

1. The telephone line rings with an incoming fax call.

2. The modem signals the incoming call to IQFSP. Then IQFSP signals the same to Windows Fax Service.

3. Windows Fax Service signals to IQFSP to answer the call, and IQFSP uses the modem to receive the fax.

4. IQFSP delivers the received fax to Windows Fax Service.

5. Windows Fax Service is configured to place a copy of the received fax into a certain folder monitored by the eCW software on the fax server.

6. eCW software retrieves the received fax from the monitored folder and imports it into the eCW Fax Inbox.

So, for inbound faxing the interaction flow is:

Remote fax sender --> IQ Express Fax Board --> Mainpine IQSP --> Windows Fax Service --> eCW Software

For customers using Mainpine's On-line Fax Service the path is different, but similar:

Remote fax sender --> Mainpine On-Line Fax Service --> Mainpine MP_FSP --> Windows Fax Service --> eCW Software