Open Source software in medical informatics--why, how and what.

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Health Care Technology
• Software Engineering

Background:

• Open Source software, a licensing and distribution model, has a 20-40 year history and has proven successful in various sectors.
• Pioneering efforts in software sharing, like BSD UNIX and internet protocols, laid the groundwork for Open Source principles.
• Medical informatics has existing examples of Open Source distribution, such as COSTAR and VISTA, with a growing presence in healthcare (OSCAR GEHR, OpenEMed).

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the support and nurturing of the Open Source movement within medical informatics.
• To highlight the potential of integrating Open Source modules into operational health care systems.
• To emphasize the role of Open Source in driving innovation and addressing health care system problems.

Main Methods:

• The abstract discusses the historical context and success of Open Source in software development and related fields.
• It reviews existing Open Source software in medical informatics and bioinformatics.
• The abstract presents a conceptual argument for the benefits of Open Source adoption in healthcare.

Main Results:

• Open Source software has demonstrated widespread success due to its collaborative and accessible nature.
• Bioinformatics has a robust ecosystem of Open Source software.
• Open Source has a nascent but growing presence in the healthcare sector.

Conclusions:

• Medical informatics researchers and funding bodies should actively support the Open Source movement.
• Integrating Open Source modules into health care systems can create opportunities for testing and innovation.
• Widespread adoption of Open Source in healthcare has the potential to significantly improve the health care system.