Groen's HIT Blog

Blog written by Peter Groen, Senior OHN Editor & Contributing Author, on 'open source' & health information technology (HIT) issues and solutions.

See the following -

A Brief History of 'Open Source' Software in Modern Times

The 'spirit' of open source was in existence many millennium before the term officially emerged toward the end of the 20th century. In 'ancient' times, our ancestors shared knowledge about hunting, farming, cooking, herbal treatments, and many other topics and skills needed to survive. In 'modern' times, collaboration and sharing has taken on a whole new meaning, especially as it relates to the topic of free and open source software (FOSS). What follows is a brief history and timeline of 'Open Source' activities in modern times to help people new to the subject to better understand what has been happening in this arena over the past 50 years. Read More »

A Case of Murder by EHR

Back in 2007, after Hurricane Katrina, I co-authored a story entitled "Murder by EHR" to showcase the benefits of having electronic health records (EHR), especially in major disaster situations. With the arrival of Hurricane Irene, I decided to reprint the story here for your entertainment and information. It's a bit longer than my normal blogs. Read More »

Alternative 'Green' Energy Solutions for Health IT Systems

Your health care organization's vision for the future should include having more and more of your health information technology (HIT) infrastructure powered by alternative "hybrid" energy systems that tap into solar, wind, hydro, and traditional el

An Overview of the Open Source Maturity Model

The following is a brief summary of the Open Source Maturity Model as defined by Open Health News (OHNews). It provides a high level description of the six major phases open source systems go through during their systems lifecycle – from the birth of an idea to a mature global solution. Read More »

Any Benefits of Using 'Pinterest' for Open Health?

I finally got around to checking out Pinterest and seeing how it could be used for my business and professional interests. Check out my 'Open Health' Pinterest page http://pinterest.com/pjgroen/pins/ Read More »

Are Open Source Mega-Companies on the Horizon?

Senior executives and investors, pay attention. Hundreds of major open source companies have been established and are now succeeding in the 'Open Source' & 'Open Health' marketplace.  Think Red Hat, Clear Health, KitWare, MedSphere, Black Duck, Mirth, Alfresco, Canonical, Open Dental, Indivica, and many more. Read More »

Business Models for Open Source

A quick Google search on "Business Models for Open Source" brings up numerous articles and studies on the topic that proclaim there are anywhere from five major business models to over eighty possible examples. Read More »

Check out the enhanced ONC Health IT Dashboard

Want to better understanding health IT and the transformative changes that electronic health records (EHR) are having in our nation's health care system? Read More »

Collaborative, 'Open' Education Solutions in Health Care

The use of 'open source' software to deliver global health education solutions used by universities, medical schools, and a range of other health care organizations is becoming an increasingly important trend to watch.

Collected thoughts on Intellectual Property: Copyright vs. Open Access

The purpose of copyright law, according to the Constitution  (Article I, Section 8,Clause 8) is to "promote the progress of science and useful arts" and not to "compensate the creator of the content." Copyright law should therefore be evaluated by the degree to which it facilitates innovation and creative expression. Read More »

COSI Health IT Blog Startup

Industries and businesses throughout the world are being revolutionized through the application of three unique and powerful strategies - Collaboration, Open Solutions, and Innovation (COSI). When combined, these management strategies create a robust model for accelerating change, reducing medical errors, and improving quality in the U.S. healthcare system. The COSI strategies are absolutely essential for transforming health care and creating the technology necessary to support better, safer and higher quality care in the U.S. and around the world.

COTS, FOSS, or HOSS Solutions?

When looking to acquire a health IT system, the discussion often boils down to the question of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) versus Free & Open Source Software (FOSS) solutions.  The reality is that some form of Hybrid Open Source Software (HOSS) solution is probably what you should aim to acquire and implement. For example, in the healthcare arena there are a numerous great, high quality, and expensive COTS health IT solutions that you can acquire. If the software doesn't quite fit all your needs, you simply write the vendor a check to develop whatever else you need that they don't currently include in their product. The annual license and support contract also guarantees you will get the latest updates and needed fixes. Read More »

DoD's "Naming Switcheroo" for its Health IT Systems

I may be way off base, but it seems to me that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is a master of the "Naming Switcheroo" when it comes to requesting funding for programs that may have run into trouble and used up most of their Congressionally approved funds. Read More »

EHR Certification Process

Here's a short blog I just felt compelled to write.  According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONCHIT) web site, there are 1,049 EHR Products Now Certified.  You can see this news item on the ONCHIT home page - http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/ Read More »

Electronic Health Record (EHR) Infographic by HealthIT.Gov

View the latest Infographic on the history of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and how they may improve your health and health care in the future just posted by HealthIT.Gov. Read More »