While most people think of Google and Mozilla as being the big innovators when it comes to the Web-based real time communications (WebRTC) format, we may have to add one more name to that roster, namely, that of Claydata. Claydata is an eHealth systems vendor in Sydney, Australia. Claydata's Putty line of solutions brings in a lot of help in the telehealth field, and shares more than a little in common with WebRTC.
Claydata's Putty line offers a variety of solutions, from an electronic health records (EHR) package to a secure messaging system to even a complete front-desk package for both administrative and financial systems, along with several others. With this variety comes an unexpected commonality between many WebRTC systems and what Claydata is offering, especially when the PuttyConnect platform is considered. PuttyConnect offers several useful—not to mention familiar—tools for keeping in touch, from alerts systems to messaging to VoIP and video conferencing.
Joseph Grace, the founder and inventor of the Claydata system, has noticed these similarities as well, and notes that the technology that comprises PuttyConnect was developed over a period of several years, and was actually based on the same essential idea as WebRTC, with teleconferencing done via Web browser instead of as part of a separate download.
What's particularly interesting about all this is that PuttyConnect has been available to a variety of healthcare providers for some time now, and has recently started going after elder care as well, giving not only a way for healthcare practitioners to keep in touch, but also giving the elderly patients a way to keep in touch with family and friends.
Grace believes that his technology is somewhere between six months to a year ahead of the other WebRTC competitors, even if his is significantly more specialized and is focusing on a much narrower field. The Putty brand itself, according to Grace, is “a medical device; it is a trusted brand that is certified. There is no way that a medical practitioner could purport to be a Putty provider unless they do it illegally.” There are also measures in place that allow Putty users—via the PuttyMe identification system—to confirm that all the users involved are verified and are as presented.
While there doesn't seem to be a lot of battle shaping up over just who owns the concept—it's likely that the idea of concurrent development would come into play—it's also underscoring a whole new idea when it comes to WebRTC: its sheer value. We've already known for some time now that WebRTC has a lot of applications, from gaming to communications to collaboration and beyond. But what PuttyConnect—indeed, much of the Putty line—is showing is that there's plenty of application for WebRTC tools in the healthcare arena as well. Between the need for physicians to stay in contact with patients and each other, as well as others in the chain of command and operations, and the need for patients to do likewise, there's a lot of room here for a simple browser-based tool to step in and handle much of that need. PuttyConnect may not be alone for long in the field, though, but it will certainly have the advantage of a trusted brand name.
PuttyConnect is giving us all a great look at how WebRTC is shaping up to change much of the field of communications as we know it, and soon, many more applications will likely be found as the technology makes more of an appearance into the field.
The topic of WebRTC has been a hot topic at this year’s ITEXPO in Las Vegas, happening right now. Tomorrow, a session “How WebRTC Will Impact the Enterprise” is taking place from 12-12:45 and will provide an update on all the latest happenings related to this new technology.
Edited by
Stefania Viscusi
