-----Forwarded Message----- > From: Joseph Dal Molin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Calle Hedberg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: HIMSS launches task force for national health information network > Date: 20 Oct 2002 09:49:55 -0400 > > Calle, > > > > > > The approach described by David - to move towards a more integrated Health > > Infostructure by linking up independent entities (hospitals, existing > > networks) using open standards - is completely different and quite similar > > to the "chaotic" but successful evolution of the Internet. It's chances of > > success is far higher than those other quests for "universal solutions" > > (call it the "Darwinist option", if you prefer - you join slugs and whether > > the outcome in the end are humans or slugs nobody knows). > > > Lately, being an ecologist, I have been contrasting the advantages of > sexual (open source) reproduction over asexual (closed source) as > evolutionary strategies when presenting open source... clearly open > source is much more fun while being a more effective mechanism for > adaptation. > > > > If I might draw a parallel that should be well known to most of you: > > The US has spent at least half a trillion 2002 dollars per year for 60 years > > on the Army, Navy, Air Force, CIA, NSA, FBI, FDA, etc - and every single of > > those organisations have presumably a strictly hierarchical and disciplined > > power structure with the Command-in-Chief on top. But have they been able to > > co-ordinate their informations systems? > > Perhaps the 9/11 failure in "intelligence" coordination is evidence that > they haven't been able to do this for at least one mission critical > application. > > Having said that VistA and the DoD systems are approaching a high level > of integration...LCDR Emory A. Fry, MC, USNR will be talking about this > at OSHCA. Of course...VistA was developed and to some extent continues > to evolve in essentially in the self organizing "chaotic" manner typical > of complex adaptive systems such as the Internet. > > It is also interesting to note that in the Army, someone please correct > me if I am out on a limb on this, decision making on the battle field > has more in common with the Internet than a rigid command and control > model. > > > > -- > Cheers, > > Joseph > > Joseph Dal Molin > e-cology corporation > www.e-cology.ca -- Cheers,
Joseph Joseph Dal Molin e-cology corporation www.e-cology.ca
