There currently is considerable interest in Open Source /Linux technologies, which purport to make internet -based solutions available for a fraction of the cost of commercial applications. At this meeting, the subject was discussed in depth, with presentations on 1) why and in what form open source applications are gaining greater use in the health care industry; 2) the Medsphere OpenVista system, similar to the Veterans Administration system, for health system administration; and 3) the Ethidium wireless electronic medical record system that is based on open source products. Doug Goldstein, Strategist for eHealthcare, offered further information and comments on open source applications based on his experience with such applications.
1. Roger Maduro
Managing Director, Linux Infrastructure
Open Source/Linux Solutions for the Health Care industry
BIO: Roger A. Maduro is a founder and managing director of Linux
Infrastructure, LLC (LxIS) a company focused on providing end-to-end IT
solutions based on open source/Linux technologies. He was formerly director
of systems architecture at Winstar Telecommunications where he designed a
led the implementation of a series of successful open source/Linux projects
starting in 1997.
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT: The open source/Linux model is being rapidly adopted in multiple
industries, from Hollywood where it is run at all major production studios
to all the major Wall Street firms. This new model offers compelling
benefits to the health care industry. It offers an affordable IT
infrastructure and an ideal integration engine for health care entities. In
addition a large number of health-care specifics applications are being
developed.
2. Scott Shreeve, M.D.
Medsphere Systems Corporation
BIO: Chief Medical Officer
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT: Medsphere Systems Corporation is an innovative healthcare
information technology company and the leading provider of OpenVista
technology, support and services. The OpenVista platform manages all the
clinical, financial, and administrative data for integrated delivery
networks, hospitals, clinics, and physician offices.
The platform is touted for its flexibility and functionality across the
continuum of care and can be delivered in a hosted model. Medsphere also
sponsors the open source development of the code base to ensure a
standards-based, technically robust, and secure system with a clear ROI for
healthcare organizations.
3. Matias Klein
Ethidium Health Systems
BIO: Matias Klein is the President and Chief Technology Officer of Ethidium
Health Systems. Mr. Klein left medical school in 1999 and founded EHS
after becoming disenchanted with the state of medical information management
PRESENTATION ABSTRACT: Ethidium's wireless Electronic Medical Record (wEMR) is the
world's first electronic
medical record appliance. Simply plugging the unit into an existing
network gives clinicians instant access to all their patients' medical
records from anywhere, at anytime, and on any device. Because of the
wEMR's network-based architecture and its integrated stack of high-quality
open-source software products, the acquisition costs and total cost of
ownership of Ethidium's wEMR is considerably lower than the majority of
commercial EMR products. Matias will demonstrate the wEMR's document
management system, task-based workflow engine, and point-of-care encounter
documentation and order-entry tools.