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ODMS Cloud by OM Systems to Replace Legacy On-Premise ODMS Software and ODDS Dictation App
As posted in our blog a few days ago Olympus Dictation Delivery Service ODDS App End-of-Life March 2025 news is starting to come to light about what OM System (the new name for Olympus in the audio world) has planned.
Too many acronyms in this blog posts title, this is what they mean:
- ODDS = Olympus Dictation Delivery Service
- ODMS = Olympus Dictation Management System
What we know so far (from information we are gathering from overseas so may be subject to change in Australia)
- ODMS Cloud Australia will be the new solution – a cloud hosted dictation and transcription workflow, and yes, there will be a solution hosted in Australia so confidential encrypted audio will stay in country.
- Existing installed Olympus Pro Windows software – currently ODMS R7 (both Dictation Module (DM) and Transcription Module (TM)) Standalone, SCP & Workgroup software will be discontinued and replaced by ODMS Cloud.
- Olympus Standard software for Windows – DSS Player Standard – will be replaced by ODMS R8 Standalone (at Dictate Australia we don’t see many people use this version of the software).
- Mac users, no more Olympus software for you installed locally. macOS users will be recommended to use ODMS Cloud – this makes sense, the current installed macOS Olympus software has lagged behind the Windows equivalent for year.
The following Olympus products will be discontinued from April 2025:
- ODDS iOS and Android app and the associated licence
- ODMS R7 Standalone – if you install a few of these in your practice you know how painful it is to keep track of software licence keys
- ODMS R7 Workgroup & SCP – Used by a few larger practice and government agencies to manage larger numbers of devices and software installs. This will be good news for existing MUL (multi-user licence) holders
- DSS Player Standard software for Windows
- DSS Player Plus v7 for macOS
New OM Systems digital dictaphones coming after April 2024
- New OM Systems DS-9110 (will likely replace professional dictaphone DS-9000 & DS-9500). We are guessing these will either include some kind of ODMS Cloud licence or require one to be purchased.
- New OM Systems DS-2700 (will likely replace the standard dictaphone DS-2600). We are guessing that this will be for people who do not what to use the ODMS Cloud and prefer a local software install, assuming will be ODMS R8.
- The above two, we know the model names, we don’t know the software so stay tuned.
What About Olympus ODDS Dictation App Users?
The existing portal – dictation-portal.com – will be replaced with a new and much easier to navigate user interface, queue sigh of relief from office and practice managers with multiple licences which all expire at different dates!
Advanced dictation routing – admins can easily configure dictation workflow. Typist away for the day? No problem route to another typist or team (think another office location, or specialist team).
The App licence will be unified, meaning if you have the smartphone app and a physical dictaphone they will be covered under the one author login. It is not known yet if this applies only to the new DS-9100 model dictaphone coming soon and the current models (DS-9000 and DS-9500) … our guess is it will cover current and new, its just a guess at the moment.
What about security, it’s Cloud after all?
Firstly there will be an Australian shard, so data will stay in country. We also know that the usual security requirements will be in place:
- HTTPS so end to end encryption
- Two-Factor (TFA/MFA) authentication
- Support for encrypted audio file format – .ds2 – the standard for legal and medical dictation
- Support for non-encrypted file formats – .dss .wav & .mp3 – they are still encrypted during transfer but the file formats themselves do not lend themselves to individual file encryption
- ODMS Cloud will be managed by ISO 14001 certified partners by OM Systems
- GDPR compliant which feeds globally to other geos, like Australia’s, requirements for PII data
New Dictation App to replace the current Olympus Dictation App
Coming soon to an app store near you .. iOS and Android .. will be the replacement Olympus Dictation App. It will have the same functionality enjoyed by existing app users, ie. rewind/review audio, insert/override, dictate from anywhere, send seamlessly, encrypted audio etc etc.
The smartphone dictation app will integrate with ODMS Cloud and route audio based on what is set in the portal by your admin/office manager/practice manager. The status of the audio dictation can be monitored from the app – so know when that urgent dictation is being worked on and how far through transcription your typist is.
Functionality of the new ODMS Cloud App will include:
- 256-bit AES Encrypted DS2 files
- Record with file/edit capabilities (insert and overwrite)
- VCVA (voice activation)
- Play, rewind and fast forward
- Work-type lists and author ID
- Text comments to accompany recordings
- Browse files in ODMS Cloud
- Assign dictations according to your organisation’s workflow options
- Bluetooth microphone support
- Adjustable microphone sensitivity
- 4 languages available (English, German, French, Spanish)
- iOS & Android compatible
- Direct upload to Cloud
Notice anything missing from the list? Speech to Text, the elephant in the room. It is early days and we at Dictate Australia don’t know a lot of the details yet. I am sure this is something very high on OM System’s roadmap if not in development already. We will see where this goes.
How do we migrate from our existing ODDS licence and app to the new ODMS Cloud
Currently we don’t know. We will be working closely with OM Systems Australia in the coming weeks to navigate what is needed and to help our customers with the transition so that it is as painless and simple as possible. More updates when we get them.
What will ODMS Cloud cost in Australia?
Again, this is an unknown for us until we get those details from OM Systems. We do know it will be a subscription again, we don’t know the terms if it stays a one year or if options are available for a longer term with built in longevity discounts. As this licence now covers an app and connectivity for a physical dictaphone this may have an influence on price. Hopefully, also existing licences for those of you with more than one will be co-termed so they all expire on the same date – fingers crossed on that one!