I have been using video conferencing before video conferencing was cool. You know… back in the days when Microsoft Net Meeting was the unparalleled awesomeness of communication. Throughout the years many different products have come about. Even though the software has continued to advance, there is usually a problem with one aspect or another. Either video takes too much bandwidth, or voice is choppy, security is poor, or some other factor just makes the experience less than desirable.

My review of Nefsis was a pleasant surprise. Nefsis wraps the benefits of video conferencing, with VoIP and instant messaging all in a very easy to use Web 2.0 interface.

The Nefsis application is very easy to use. Either a small client or a web browser can handle all of the functions of the environment. Nefsis is quick and snappy and offers very easy ways to connect to meetings. A simple email or URL can be sent to any recipient to give them connection information for your meeting. Not only is use of the Nefsis application simple to work with, but the setup is easy too. Nefsis supports a variety of commonly found webcams and microphones. Ease of use and installation should never be exchanged for security. In many applications this is a problem, but with Nefsis, you get both. Meetings can be secured via SSL and IDs to ensure security and privacy. Nefsis should have no problems passing HIPAA security rules should you choose to have patient conversations. With Video, voice (VoIP), document sharing, whiteboard, interactive chat, and record and playback, Nefsis has nearly every feature you could want for telecommunications in a single, sharp, easy to use package.

It is easy to see that the application is feature rich and simple to use. But what about the future objectives of the company? Where is Nefsis going? I had the opportunity to connect with Tom Toperczer, Vice President of Marketing, for Nefsis.

Shawn: What is Nefsis’ strategy towards targeting the Health Care space? Do you have a specific segment you are focusing on?

Tom: We do not have a vertical market strategy. Like most communication software tools, we believe ultimately all industries will be using video conferencing and online meeting technology. Just like email.

Tom states that Nefsis is not fashioning their product to Health Care, but it is clear from the case studies (LINK http://www.nefsis.com/Best-Video-Conferencing-Software/case-studies.html) that Nefsis is certainly targeting health care as a valid market space for their products.

Shawn: How do you compare yourself to WebEx? Who do you see as your chief competitors? What do you do that out shines them?

Tom: We’re a smaller company, but a superior technology for business-to-business video conferencing. We use our (truly distributed) cloud and multi-core parallel processing to reduce latency in multipoint video conference sessions. We are video peripheral agnostic, and support any video device that can connect to a PC – webcam to HD, desktop to boardroom. The latter is compelling for any organization that cannot afford telepresence, or simply wants to connect conference rooms and desktops.

We have competitors in the web conferencing space, WebEx of course, and we outshine them when it comes to video conferencing, and any heavy lifting such as desktop sharing, media sharing and so on. Our low-latency cloud and parallel processing really makes a big difference here.

Tom speaks about ‘business-to-business’ interactions. In the health care space it is seemingly obvious that the connections would be from specialist to specialist, provider to provider, and provider to patient. This tool would make it possible to have a real conversation with the core providers that are rare throughout the health care system. Radiologists, Cardiologists, Nephrologists, and so many other specialties could be put in contact via a webcam.

Shawn: What do you see as the number one most valuable feature of your product line?

Tom: That’s a toughie. I would say multiparty video conferencing. Many of our customers use Nefsis specifically for the video conferencing feature alone, others use video as a way to make web conferencing more like meeting in person. As you may have noticed, our product was designed for online meetings where everyone participates (web, VoIP and video), with some webinar applications – not the other way around.

How much does it cost? – Pricing for Nefsis is based on a monthly charge for concurrent users. Their pricing model is very comparable to other solutions that provide a less robust feature base.

Nefsis and Telemedicine
For those of us in health care we know there are many challenges around telemedicine. The number one problem is “how do we get paid?” The number two problem is “can technology actually give a quality experience between the clinical provider and the patient?”

Nefsis can’t do much for the first item, but certainly opens some doors on the second. With High Definition (HD Capabilities) options Nefsis can actually deliver a diagnostic quality image. A provider will be able to virtually connect to the patient or consulting provider. Dermatology, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, and so many other service lines will be able to take advantage of this service. The drawback of not being able to physically touch a patient is obvious, but the overall benefits of increasing access and connecting with specialties with no travel are considerable. Not only would Nefsis offer increased patient satisfaction, but it would allow for lower costs and higher patient exposure to clinicians. This is a win-win for the physician and the patient.

Summary
Overall Nefsis is a solid product all around. It is easy to use, secure, diverse, robust, and is delivered at a cost effective price point. The only question is, how are you going to work telemedicine into your workflows for the delivery of patient care?