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I think that you are discarding a massive positive use case, PWAs. We rely on them extensively for basic notification functionality in healthcare applications.

I think that you are discarding a massive positive use case, PWAs. We rely on them extensively for basic notification functionality in healthcare applications. We literally send out alerts that save people's lives using web push notifications, so I think it's a bit cavalier to dismiss them entirely. I do agree that it would be nice if the were restricted a bit more, perhaps to installed PWAs of some sort.

jsjohnst 4y ago
> We literally send out alerts that save people's lives using web push notifications Is that HIPAA compliant? What happens when Google/Apple/whoever goes down (does happen!), do patients die?
- nickphx 4y ago
  You can encrypt the contents or use the notification as a signal to trigger the service worker to retrieve notification data separately.
- claytongulick 4y ago
  Good questions! Yes, the alert is a link to an authenticated PWA, no PHI is sent in a message. As far as push server failure, we also have SMS notifications as fallback.
effingwewt 4y ago
I would think if my life is in the balance I'd prefer literally any other method of communication before freaking website push notifications. Phone, text, email, even snail mail. What's cavalier is thinking because your business wants to use them that they then should be used.
- claytongulick 4y ago
  You're certainly opinionated about something that it doesn't appear that you know very much about. In-app notifications, SMS and web push notifications are all important means of communicating events that clinicians need to be aware of. This is delivered via a PWA so that it works on the wide variety of devices we see across patients and clinicians. Many elderly patients are confused by native apps and app store experiences. Many of them refuse to use an "app". Additionally, things like accessibility are problems that have been solved effectively on the web but can be more challenging with native apps. Many clinical devices don't support app stores or installation of native applications. When you've tried to implement reliable health care systems for elderly populations, clinical settings, mobile in-field settings and physicians in a HIPAA regulated space perhaps you'll be able to tell me a better way. Your assumption that we use any technology because "we want to" indicates that you don't have much experience with this stuff, perhaps it would be better for you to reserve judgement in the future until you understand a subject a bit more thoroughly.

jsjohnst 4y ago

> We literally send out alerts that save people's lives using web push notifications Is that HIPAA compliant? What happens when Google/Apple/whoever goes down (does happen!), do patients die?

nickphx 4y ago
You can encrypt the contents or use the notification as a signal to trigger the service worker to retrieve notification data separately.
claytongulick 4y ago
Good questions! Yes, the alert is a link to an authenticated PWA, no PHI is sent in a message. As far as push server failure, we also have SMS notifications as fallback.

effingwewt 4y ago

I would think if my life is in the balance I'd prefer literally any other method of communication before freaking website push notifications. Phone, text, email, even snail mail. What's cavalier is thinking because your business wants to use them that they then should be used.

claytongulick 4y ago
You're certainly opinionated about something that it doesn't appear that you know very much about. In-app notifications, SMS and web push notifications are all important means of communicating events that clinicians need to be aware of. This is delivered via a PWA so that it works on the wide variety of devices we see across patients and clinicians. Many elderly patients are confused by native apps and app store experiences. Many of them refuse to use an "app". Additionally, things like accessibility are problems that have been solved effectively on the web but can be more challenging with native apps. Many clinical devices don't support app stores or installation of native applications. When you've tried to implement reliable health care systems for elderly populations, clinical settings, mobile in-field settings and physicians in a HIPAA regulated space perhaps you'll be able to tell me a better way. Your assumption that we use any technology because "we want to" indicates that you don't have much experience with this stuff, perhaps it would be better for you to reserve judgement in the future until you understand a subject a bit more thoroughly.