RFC: Open Source Clinical system for the NHS

[Robert Worrall via JavaKB.com]

I work in the NHS as an IT coordinator at a medical centre. We use the EMIS
LV clinical system as do half of the practices in the UK. As a taxpayer I
would like to see my money pay for treatment not for software licences.

I propose the development of an open souce java based system (removing
clinical software licencing costs) that runs on linux (removing operating
system costs).

Does anyone else work in the NHS and would be interested in such a large
project?

I have hypothosised that java components could be bolted on to a modified
OpenOffice (mostly C++ but can have Java components). which could be used
for printing services. document creation ,etc. This would help to reduce
development time.

Any comments are very welcome.

 

[Gerbrand van Dieijen]

Robert Worrall via JavaKB.com schreef:

I work in the NHS as an IT coordinator at a medical centre. We use the EMIS
LV clinical system as do half of the practices in the UK. As a taxpayer I
would like to see my money pay for treatment not for software licences.

I propose the development of an open souce java based system (removing
clinical software licencing costs) that runs on linux (removing operating
system costs).

I am not sure what you want?
Do you have good working medical system, and would you like a free one
you won't have to pay for?
Or don't you have any system yet, and do you want the system that has to
be developed be open source?

 

[Steve Horsley]

Robert Worrall via JavaKB.com schreef:



I am not sure what you want?
Do you have good working medical system, and would you like a free one
you won't have to pay for?
Or don't you have any system yet, and do you want the system that has to
be developed be open source?

He says that half of the NHS (UK National Health Service) already
uses EMIS LV. He wants to develop an open source equivalent.

I guess the replacement would have to implement all the features
of the original in order to gain acceptance. But the project
would have a clear direction and target feature list.

I doubt that I can help - I have never heard of the system he
wants to clone, but I am all in favour of local government using
open source - it just makes such good economic sense, provided
the authorities aree prepared to pool their investment costs.

To be honest, I think there may even be good sense in the NHS
funding development of an open source development by contract
since the cost could save so mant commercial licenses. Think of
all the reccurrent salesman salaries and shareholder dividends
they would save.

Steve

 

[Robert Worrall via JavaKB.com]

Thank you for your messages.

It is a clone, or improved version of our current system I am after. I
could quite easily create a list features the system would need to provide.
It would be a large list so we could replace our current setup.

I agree that the costs of software paid by the NHS is wrong when there are
open source equivlents available. I have been trying to contact people in
NHS's national program for IT on this subject but with little response so
far.

Any other thoughts or comments are very welcome.