Interesting thread. I just got hot under the collar, and sent out the following, to some big shots : =========================== Ladies/Gentlemen:
I hate to do this, but, I thought I would resort to this, to highlight some inadequacies, meaning, too expensive ways the EHR implementations being pushed by VITL. In addition to expensive/vendor-locked-in systems that you would find as recommendations on VITL site, there are systems based on FOSS . FOSS is based on a model of Open Source, non-proprietary, meaning the software source code is open for anyone to read. There are advantages to source code being open, that I will not go over here. The whole Google infrastructure is built on FOSS model, a massive grid running on Linux, in case you are afraid of an alternate model. Coming to the health field, we have OpenVista EMR from the VA systems. There are other FOSS EMR systems, not as popular as OpenVista, but very good in what they do. We are a pediatrics practice using a system - OpenEMR - we are very happy with. Some of the immediate advantages are - cost of the software, better support, very agile to tailor to the practice requirements, inter-operable to any open-protocol, in addition to being Free as in Freedom, not as in Free Beer. VITL has done a good job , as far as education for the urgent need of EHR's is concerned, but they have totally failed in their recommendations, as far as cost is concerned. I know the State would like to pour some cash for practices that can't afford the cost, pushing proprietary systems. It's time, the directors and people in power have a good look at the Open Source Model, in this day and age of economic times. The Vermont Health Information Technology Plan put out by VITL does not mention anything about FOSS, and the only thing I can conclude is how clueless the authors are, with respect to the FOSS model. Besides, when you search on the web, you would find other states who have done a better job on their Health Technology Plans with a page or two on FOSS. I don't know how Vermont is any different than other states in Health Technology Plans. Why would we fund to write our own home-made Vermont Plan, when we can borrow from what other states have done ? Yes, I have talked to Mr.Farnham , and others in VITL. My only conclusion is that they have a different agenda, and there seems to be a high resistance and lack of motivation for looking at other disruptive models. Well, you folks don't know me. All I can say is that I am a tax-paying Vermonter, and this is not how we spend. I also manage a solo Pediatric Practice using OpenEMR . To know more about openemr, go to openemr.org. Any more questions, you can reach me at : [EMAIL PROTECTED], mentioning the subj line - FOSS EHR. Once again, sorry for spamming you this way :-) Thanks, Balu Raman, MSEE.,CCP** Ryder Brook Pediatrics P.O.Box 608 Morrisville, VT 05661 =============================================
