Re: RFC: Open Source Clinical system for the NHS

Gerbrand van Dieijen wrote: 
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?




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
.

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