1. OceanMD
  2. Patient Tablets & Check-In Kiosks
  3. Set Up Tablets

Set Up Tablets

Learn how to set up your patient-facing tablets.

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  1. Buy Your Tablet(s)

    You are responsible for purchasing your tablets that will run Ocean (which also means that you will own these tablets once purchased).

    Note for Check-In Kiosks: All kiosk hardware orders can be placed through BlueBird IT Solutions, or your EMR vendor where applicable. Before purchasing a tablet for use in the check-in kiosk, please speak to the representative to confirm the correct tablet model for your hardware. 

    When choosing a tablet to use with Ocean, there are a few things to consider.

    • Patient Tablets need to run on Android 6.0 or higher (i.e. any current generation Android tablet).
    • For the sake of accessibility, we also typically recommend screen sizes of 9" or more. However, we do have clinics using high resolution 8" tablets as well.

    Patient Tablets are not compatible with iOS (i.e. it cannot run on an iPad).

    Other than that, it’s really personal preference.

    You do not need an external keyboard and getting a cheap protector case is a good idea, just to make it easier to grip and more likely to survive a drop to your waiting room floor. For more tips about tablet security, check out the articles "Securing Your Tablets" and "How do I prevent patients from misusing the Patient Tablets?" For tips on keeping tablets germ-free check out our blog post on sanitizing tablets.

    Tablet brands to be wary of...

    Be careful with some "budget" tablet brands (e.g. Neutab, Hipstreet). Unfortunately, we've heard a growing number of complaints about these lower-end models, ranging from WiFi connection issues to screen issues.

    The one budget tablet manufacturer you should definitely avoid is Azpen. These tablets cycle through a pool of “mac addresses”, which are supposed to be unique, permanent hardware identifiers used for networking. These may cause much grief for your networking team since they may configure their firewall using mac addresses.

  2. Connect Your Tablet(s) to the Internet

    Patient Tablets must be connected to the internet at all times, in order to be able to connect to Ocean (preferably via a reliable Wi-Fi connection).

    A few notes before we begin.

    • Android tablets can vary quite a bit in their interface and the basic setup process. If you aren’t comfortable setting up the tablet, your retailer or tablet manufacturer should be able to help.
    • At some point during the setup, Android or Google may prompt you to create a new Google account. This step is not necessary. You should be able to skip any account setup.
    • Skip any other options to “enable purchases” or “join Google+”. Do NOT enter any personal information if the tablet asks you to.

    Connect to the internet.

    • You can connect to your Wi-Fi network by opening up the Settings app on your tablet and navigating to the "Wi-Fi" section.

    Note: Some clinics don’t have Wi-Fi configured, in which case you’ll either need to set up a new Wi-Fi network, or access a wireless data service for your tablet. Your EMR provider may also be able to assist as well. The goal is to find the simplest way to connect your tablet to the Internet.

  3. Configure Your Tablet(s) for Use in a Clinic Setting

    Configuring these basic tablet settings will make your tablets more accessible for your patients, including lock screen, display, and keyboard settings.

    Open the Settings app on the tablet by finding the app on the tablet's home screen or by swiping down from the tablet screen and clicking on the cog icon. In the Settings app, adjust the settings outlined below.

    • Lock screen and security

      • Select “Lock screen and security”.
      • Set the “Screen lock type” to “None” to make it easier for patients to use.
      • In the same section, turn on “Unknown sources” to enable download of the Ocean Tablet app.

    • Display

      • Enter the “Display” section.
      • Adjust the screen timeout to a longer period of time. We recommend at least a 5-minute timeout to prevent accidental screen shut-offs during patient use. (This timeout must naturally be balanced against your tablet’s battery life).

    • General management

      • Enter the "General management" and select "Language and input".
      • Under "Keyboards", select "On-screen keyboard" and then "Samsung keyboard".
      • Select "Smart Typing" and toggle "Predictive text" OFF (i.e. to the left).
  4. Install the Ocean Tablet App on Your Tablet(s)

    This app is what enables Ocean on your tablets.

    1. Download the file.

      • Note: This version of the Ocean application is intended to be downloaded on an Android tablet (not an iPad, OS X, or Windows).
      • Open the tablet’s built-in internet browser (usually called “Browser” or “Chrome”).
      • Type ocean.tips/wave into the address bar on your tablet in order to navigate to this page on your tablet.
      • Click on the download button below from your tablet browser.
      • Download the Ocean App for Android
      • Note: You may receive a warning message that this type of file (wave.apk) can harm your device. You can override this by clicking “OK”.

    2. Install the file.

      • When the download completes, you should see a confirmation message the bottom of your browser’s screen and a checkmark in the tablet banner, which can be viewed if you drag down from the top of the screen.
      • Click on either of the above “download complete” notifications and click “Install” to finish installing the application.
    • Note: If you don’t see either of the above notifications, you can also find the downloaded “wave.apk” file in your tablet’s “Downloads” or “My Files” application, which should be located on your tablet’s home screen.
  5. Register Your Tablet(s) Through the Patient Tablet App

    Registering your tablet will link it to your own Ocean site.

    To complete this step, you will need your Ocean username, Ocean password, and Ocean site shared encryption key.

    Open the Patient Tablet app on your tablet. You will be presented with the following 2 registration screens.

    • Registration settings

      • Ocean Site Number
        This is your site number in Ocean to uniquely identify your clinic. You can see it by logging into the Ocean Portal, clicking the "Menu" button in the top left corner and selecting "Admin". Navigate to "Site Account" in the left side bar.
        Tablet Name
        This is a name that will help you identify your tablet in the Ocean application, e.g. “Waiting Room Tablet 1″.
        Username
        This is your Ocean username, which is only used during the setup process to register and authenticate the tablet with Ocean.
        Password
        This is your Ocean password. This password is NOT the same as your shared encryption key; it is the password used to log into the Ocean Portal with your username above.
        Ocean Host URL
        Leave this as the default value (“https://ocean.cognisantmd.com”).

    • Encryption settings

      • Shared Encryption Key
        This must match the shared encryption key that you entered into the Admin view of your Ocean portal. It is used to encrypt patient data between the tablet and the EMR. This is not your Ocean password.

    Note: It might be difficult to remember all of these values, so we recommend you download, print, and complete this Clinic Reference Card. Keep it in a safe location for future reference.

  6. Disable the Google App on Your Tablet(s)*

    This optional, but highly recommended, step will prevent patients from easily being able to surf the internet on the tablet, discouraging misuse of the tablet.

    This step is an optional part off setting up tablets.

    In order to prevent misuse of the tablet, you may want to disable the Google app to prevent easy access to web searches.

    • Enter the Settings app on the tablet.
    • Select the “Apps” section from the menu along the left.
    • Find the Google app from the list of apps along the right (the logo is a simple colourful G in a circle).
    • Tap this Google app and select “Disable”.
  7. Configure & Customize Your Tablet Settings in the Ocean Portal

    Configuration of these settings will allow you to customize various features of your tablet, including the unlocking method and automatic form triggering.

    Please refer to the article Customizing Basic Tablet Settings.
  8. Secure Your Tablets

    Before "real world use", we strongly recommend that you review this guide to securing your tablets.

    Please refer to the article Securing Your Tablets.
  9. Review the Guide to Tablets

    Refer to the Guide to Tablets to learn how to get the most out of your Ocean Tablets!

    Now that you have finished the set up, check out the Guide to Tablets to learn how to use your patient-facing tablets, customize your tablet settings, plus tips on how to get the most out of your tablets.

Buy Your Tablet(s)

You are responsible for purchasing your tablets that will run Ocean (which also means that you will own these tablets once purchased).

Note for Check-In Kiosks: All kiosk hardware orders can be placed through BlueBird IT Solutions, or your EMR vendor where applicable. Before purchasing a tablet for use in the check-in kiosk, please speak to the representative to confirm the correct tablet model for your hardware. 

When choosing a tablet to use with Ocean, there are a few things to consider.

  • Patient Tablets need to run on Android 6.0 or higher (i.e. any current generation Android tablet).
  • For the sake of accessibility, we also typically recommend screen sizes of 9" or more. However, we do have clinics using high resolution 8" tablets as well.

Patient Tablets are not compatible with iOS (i.e. it cannot run on an iPad).

Other than that, it’s really personal preference.

You do not need an external keyboard and getting a cheap protector case is a good idea, just to make it easier to grip and more likely to survive a drop to your waiting room floor. For more tips about tablet security, check out the articles "Securing Your Tablets" and "How do I prevent patients from misusing the Patient Tablets?" For tips on keeping tablets germ-free check out our blog post on sanitizing tablets.

Tablet brands to be wary of...

Be careful with some "budget" tablet brands (e.g. Neutab, Hipstreet). Unfortunately, we've heard a growing number of complaints about these lower-end models, ranging from WiFi connection issues to screen issues.

The one budget tablet manufacturer you should definitely avoid is Azpen. These tablets cycle through a pool of “mac addresses”, which are supposed to be unique, permanent hardware identifiers used for networking. These may cause much grief for your networking team since they may configure their firewall using mac addresses.

Connect Your Tablet(s) to the Internet

Patient Tablets must be connected to the internet at all times, in order to be able to connect to Ocean (preferably via a reliable Wi-Fi connection).

A few notes before we begin.

  • Android tablets can vary quite a bit in their interface and the basic setup process. If you aren’t comfortable setting up the tablet, your retailer or tablet manufacturer should be able to help.
  • At some point during the setup, Android or Google may prompt you to create a new Google account. This step is not necessary. You should be able to skip any account setup.
  • Skip any other options to “enable purchases” or “join Google+”. Do NOT enter any personal information if the tablet asks you to.

Connect to the internet.

  • You can connect to your Wi-Fi network by opening up the Settings app on your tablet and navigating to the "Wi-Fi" section.

Note: Some clinics don’t have Wi-Fi configured, in which case you’ll either need to set up a new Wi-Fi network, or access a wireless data service for your tablet. Your EMR provider may also be able to assist as well. The goal is to find the simplest way to connect your tablet to the Internet.

Configure Your Tablet(s) for Use in a Clinic Setting

Configuring these basic tablet settings will make your tablets more accessible for your patients, including lock screen, display, and keyboard settings.

Open the Settings app on the tablet by finding the app on the tablet's home screen or by swiping down from the tablet screen and clicking on the cog icon. In the Settings app, adjust the settings outlined below.

  • Lock screen and security

    • Select “Lock screen and security”.
    • Set the “Screen lock type” to “None” to make it easier for patients to use.
    • In the same section, turn on “Unknown sources” to enable download of the Ocean Tablet app.

  • Display

    • Enter the “Display” section.
    • Adjust the screen timeout to a longer period of time. We recommend at least a 5-minute timeout to prevent accidental screen shut-offs during patient use. (This timeout must naturally be balanced against your tablet’s battery life).

  • General management

    • Enter the "General management" and select "Language and input".
    • Under "Keyboards", select "On-screen keyboard" and then "Samsung keyboard".
    • Select "Smart Typing" and toggle "Predictive text" OFF (i.e. to the left).

Install the Ocean Tablet App on Your Tablet(s)

This app is what enables Ocean on your tablets.

  1. Download the file.

    • Note: This version of the Ocean application is intended to be downloaded on an Android tablet (not an iPad, OS X, or Windows).
    • Open the tablet’s built-in internet browser (usually called “Browser” or “Chrome”).
    • Type ocean.tips/wave into the address bar on your tablet in order to navigate to this page on your tablet.
    • Click on the download button below from your tablet browser.
    • Download the Ocean App for Android
    • Note: You may receive a warning message that this type of file (wave.apk) can harm your device. You can override this by clicking “OK”.

  2. Install the file.

    • When the download completes, you should see a confirmation message the bottom of your browser’s screen and a checkmark in the tablet banner, which can be viewed if you drag down from the top of the screen.
    • Click on either of the above “download complete” notifications and click “Install” to finish installing the application.
  • Note: If you don’t see either of the above notifications, you can also find the downloaded “wave.apk” file in your tablet’s “Downloads” or “My Files” application, which should be located on your tablet’s home screen.

Register Your Tablet(s) Through the Patient Tablet App

Registering your tablet will link it to your own Ocean site.

To complete this step, you will need your Ocean username, Ocean password, and Ocean site shared encryption key.

Open the Patient Tablet app on your tablet. You will be presented with the following 2 registration screens.

  • Registration settings

    • Ocean Site Number
      This is your site number in Ocean to uniquely identify your clinic. You can see it by logging into the Ocean Portal, clicking the "Menu" button in the top left corner and selecting "Admin". Navigate to "Site Account" in the left side bar.
      Tablet Name
      This is a name that will help you identify your tablet in the Ocean application, e.g. “Waiting Room Tablet 1″.
      Username
      This is your Ocean username, which is only used during the setup process to register and authenticate the tablet with Ocean.
      Password
      This is your Ocean password. This password is NOT the same as your shared encryption key; it is the password used to log into the Ocean Portal with your username above.
      Ocean Host URL
      Leave this as the default value (“https://ocean.cognisantmd.com”).

  • Encryption settings

    • Shared Encryption Key
      This must match the shared encryption key that you entered into the Admin view of your Ocean portal. It is used to encrypt patient data between the tablet and the EMR. This is not your Ocean password.

Note: It might be difficult to remember all of these values, so we recommend you download, print, and complete this Clinic Reference Card. Keep it in a safe location for future reference.

Disable the Google App on Your Tablet(s)*

This optional, but highly recommended, step will prevent patients from easily being able to surf the internet on the tablet, discouraging misuse of the tablet.

This step is an optional part off setting up tablets.

In order to prevent misuse of the tablet, you may want to disable the Google app to prevent easy access to web searches.

  • Enter the Settings app on the tablet.
  • Select the “Apps” section from the menu along the left.
  • Find the Google app from the list of apps along the right (the logo is a simple colourful G in a circle).
  • Tap this Google app and select “Disable”.

Review the Guide to Tablets

Refer to the Guide to Tablets to learn how to get the most out of your Ocean Tablets!

Now that you have finished the set up, check out the Guide to Tablets to learn how to use your patient-facing tablets, customize your tablet settings, plus tips on how to get the most out of your tablets.