If My Computer Falls Asleep Will It Keep Uploading to Dropbox

By Steve Wong, Medico, FRCPC (biography and disclosures)

Note: We have been informed that use of online storage services does raise some concerns regarding protection of privacy ( Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act – FIPPA ), particularly due to the fact that data on these services is more than than likely to be stored exterior of Canada.  In addition to potential risk of data/security breaches from the internet at large, governments also take varying policies and powers regarding access to private information stores.  With this in mind, we would reiterate that information technology is critical to non shop patient or other private information on cloud storage services.  In improver, to respect copyright, when sharing articles, users should just transport the citations (eg. PMID, DOI or web citation) rather than the actual files.

What I did earlier

Like many physicians, for many years now, I've been using electronic-but copies of journal articles (pdf files) for my own continuing education, reference and education purposes.  When discussing the latest clinical trials with trainees, I'd often electronic mail them articles for discussion.  In order to always have these available, I would store them on a USB flash retention central, or upload them to my MobileMe iDisk account, then access and download them every bit needed.

While this works well, it did require me to e'er remember to update my wink drive when the newest guideline came out, or find a computer that could access my web business relationship, then paste the file or link to an email.  This is was often non possible because of the very restrictive computer policies at hospitals.

This app changed my practice

Dropbox app commodity past Dr. Steve Wong for TCMP

Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) is a free web service that offers users a 2GB (or 2.5 GB with a referral link* – http://db.tt/HZEQPHT ) storage repository on the spider web ("cloud storage" is the emerging term for services like this).   There are paid plans ($99USD/year for 50GB), but I suspect for the majority of users, the costless accounts offer plenty of space.  Once installed on your calculator, a new folder called "Dropbox" is created.  Annihilation yous put in this folder synchronizes to the web.

The biggest advantage to Dropbox is its ubiquity.  The service can synchronize the contents of your Dropbox to any and all of your computers (Mac, PC, Linux) as well as any of your mobile devices (iOS – iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android and Blackberry), and is accessible from whatever web browser.

The synchronization characteristic is automated and ensures your content is e'er upwardly to date at all of your access points.   Sync is important because it allows you to access the files when not connected to the internet.  On computers, the files will exist current every bit of the last time it was connected to the internet.  On a mobile device like an iPad, yous tin ready favorite files from the Dropbox app that will remain in the device'due south local storage fifty-fifty when information technology is non connected to WiFi (annotation you lot need to flag the specific file(south) you want stored locally beforehand).

In add-on, Dropbox just introduced a sharing feature that allows users to ship download links to anyone, fifty-fifty if they don't accept a Dropbox account.  This allows users to share files that are also large to ship via e-mail, and since the sharing link tin exist sent from the web browser, restrictive IT policies won't arrive the way of sharing a file (these policies often restrict computers from saving any files from the net or attach them to emails beingness sent out).

Dropbox likewise has an interesting versioning feature built in.  This saves all versions of a file that you've uploaded to the service, and then, for example, if yous've made edits to a Powerpoint or Word file and for some reason need to revert or look at the original version, you can log onto the website and look at the edit history.

There are several other cloud storage services (Sugarsync, box.cyberspace, Amazon Cloud Drive, Microsoft SkyDrive), and some offer more than storage than Dropbox for costless, or are less expensive for paid plans.  You lot can read a good comparison here: http://lifehacker.com/5786884/cloud-storage-faceoff-windows-live-skydrive-vs-dropbox-vs-amazon-cloud-drive

None of the other deject services accept every bit many supported apps every bit Dropbox.   Many apps on iOS and Android use Dropbox as a storage bulldoze, so that edits done on your PC, cell telephone or tablet are e'er reflected no matter where you access them.

What I do now

Here are examples of my ain use of Dropbox:

• I continue a binder of "Pedagogy Files" with over 150 periodical articles and guidelines that I tin pull upward during pedagogy rounds or send links for further reading.  I've often emailed the articles to the residents before nosotros've fifty-fifty finished discussing the case.
• Every bit I identify and download periodical articles that I desire to read, either on my figurer at the part or dwelling house, or on my iPad, I salve them to my Dropbox account every bit I get.  I have a folder called "Reading List" to shop these in until they are read and moved into "Education Files," for instance.
• I use my iPhone to have pictures and video of interesting pathology (eg. clubbing of the fingers, asterixis in encephalopathy) and then show these to trainees during teaching rounds, using either the iPhone screen for 1-three trainees, or the projected computer in the morning report room for larger groups. Edit: I accept now heard this could bring upward FIPA (Freedom of Information and Privacy Act) privacy concerns, even with patient permission to apply the images, so I will no longer be using Dropbox to hold patient images (even non-facial images can incorporate identifiable cues similar jewelry, moles, tattoos, etc).
• Near of my Powerpoint presentations and handouts are too big for email services (many e-mail services max out at 5MB) so instead of attaching the file, I send an email with a "Sharing Link" generated by Dropbox.
• I shop presentation files on Dropbox, only edit them on either my home calculator or laptop.  That way, the latest version is always beingness worked on, and I don't have to worry about making sure I copied information technology to the laptop in time for the conference.  If disaster strikes (eg. my laptop won't kicking, is stolen, or won't connect to the projector), I can then download the talk onto my iPhone and present from there (using an iPhone to VGA cable), or use a computer at the conference site with net access and get the latest file from the web.
• I keep copies of relevant Pharmacare special say-so forms (prefilled with my data), scanned requisitions and patient handouts so that they can be accessed from my function in Vancouver or in Richmond.  This saves time and desk clutter since I don't demand to keep the pads of reqs physically at my desk.

You can get pdf versions of Pharmacare special say-so forms at:

https://www.health.gov.bc.ca/exforms/pharmacare.html

I do circumspection against storing individual data (patient records, financial data, etc) on cloud services unless you first encrypt the file with a strong password.  Any time you take information "in the cloud" at that place is a risk of exposing that information.  Last year, Dropbox did report a 4 hr lapse in their login security machinery that they reported afflicted fewer than 100 users, only this does drive home the fact that nosotros must always be mindful of securing patient and personal information.

The availability of backed-upwards, always attainable data paired with mobile devices having ubiquitous internet admission will fundamentally change how we manage information and educational resources.

Become Dropbox for free (2GB storage) at: world wide web.dropbox.com

Or, use this referral link for two.5GB storage free: http://db.tt/HZEQPHT

* Disclosure: referral links earn both yous and the referrer (me) an extra 500 MB.  I am already at or near my maximum referral bonus, and at that place are no fiscal or other rewards for referrals.

Tech Tips: Installation

1. Get Dropbox for free (2GB storage) at: world wide web.dropbox.com. Or, use this referral link for two.5GB storage gratuitous: http://db.tt/HZEQPHT. See my disclosure above.
2. While Dropbox is bachelor for mobile devices, information technology'south best to prepare it up on your estimator start.  Once yous have the Dropbox folder set upwardly, you lot can simply copy files that you want backed up and synced to the Dropbox binder.
3. Set upwards folders within Dropbox similar "Forms", "Reading List", "Videos", "Pictures", "Patient Handouts", "Periodical Articles", etc.
4. Y'all simply organize files past moving them into relevant file folders on your computer, and the Dropbox plan will reflect these changes on all devices automatically.  Unfortunately, the mobile apps don't motility files between folders.  This is how I move files from my "Reading List" folder to the "Teaching Files" folder once I'k done.
5. Yous can get pdf versions of Pharmacare special authority forms at: https://www.wellness.gov.bc.ca/exforms/pharmacare.html.
6. I prefer to save files as pdf documents. This way, formatting is preserved and is readable almost anywhere – the cease user does not need to have the original plan to meet the file, just a pdf reader application (built in on Macs, Adobe Reader is freely downloadable for PCs at adobe.com).  I salvage patient handouts, Discussion documents, Keynote and Powerpoint documents, and webpages as pdfs.
   The easiest way to convert files to pdf format is to use your reckoner to "print" the file as a pdf.  That way, any content you can print out can be saved as a properly formatted pdf document.
   On a Mac, this functionality is congenital in.  Choose to "Print" any file, then click the "PDF" box in the lower left manus side of the print dialog box.  So, choose your Dropbox folder to save to.
   On a PC, get any plan which can impress pages as pdf documents to do the same matter (I like CutePDF, a free PDF print program – http://world wide web.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp), choosing the installed "CutePDF Printer" as your press device, so saving the file to your Dropbox.
7. Don't put private information without encryption on cloud storage services.

Other Resource:

www.Dropbox.com

Referral link for 2.5GB storage free: http://db.tt/HZEQPHT (see disclosure statement higher up)

Round up of cloud storage services: http://lifehacker.com/5786884/cloud-storage-faceoff-windows-live-skydrive-vs-dropbox-vs-amazon-deject-drive

Dropbox security lapse:  http://web log.dropbox.com/?p=821

Adobe Reader (to read pdfs on the estimator): http://get.adobe.com/reader/

CutePDF – impress to a pdf file (free): http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp

Please indicate how this commodity volition alter your practice:

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Source: https://thischangedmypractice.com/app_dropbox/