MDExchange is a system and subscriber service for the rapid and secure electronic transmission of communications between medical professionals. Whilst it is anticipated that MDExchange will interface with numerous applications, Medical Director 3.7 was the first to incorporate MDExchange functionality.
MDExchange functionality allows practitioners to create correspondence using the Clinical Letter Writer, and send it via Secure Message Transport to other MDExchange users that are identified by searching the MDExchange online directory.
Upon starting Medical Director 3.7 (or later) for the first time, you will be prompted to register for the MDExchange service and functionality. After registering you will be able to send and receive messages via the service, and manage your sent and received items.
MDExchange uses the MDXi service for address book and account management, and secure message transmission. This service communicates externally (to the MDExchange servers) via SSL. Certificate identity is checked both ways – i.e. the server checks the client's certificate and the client also validates the server's certificate.
Within the practice the MDExchange client communicates to these services using named pipes connections. To allow this communication you need Windows File and Printer Sharing ports opened in any firewall (which must be enabled for Clinical anyway and is open by default in Windows firewall). The named pipe communication is authenticated where possible (within a domain) or is anonymous in a workgroup environment.