Ministerio de Salud de Jamaica adopta GNU Health

26 Thursday Sep 2013

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“If yu waa good, yu nose affi run”
Presentación de bienvenida para la misión 
de GNU Solidario por parte del Ministerio de Salud


“El éxito requiere trabajo arduo” reza este proverbio jamaiquino. Con un refulgente sol caribeño y un grupo de bienvenida aún más radiante, esta semana GNU Health desembarcó en una nueva bahía. En cooperación con el Ministerio de Salud, una misión grupal de GNU Solidario visitó Jamaica e inauguró oficialmente el proyecto de implementación de GNU Health dentro de su sistema de salud pública.

Dicha misión se enmarca dentro de un acuerdo social entre el Ministerio de Salud de Jamaica y GNU Solidario, convenio dispuesto específicamente para desplegar este software libre de salud e información hospitalaria en la isla.

Este paso marca un punto de inflexión en la historia del campo de la salud, por cuanto Jamaica es el primer país en adoptar GNU Health con proyecciones nacionales. Una tarea herculeana, esta implementación demanda una integración intersectorial de parte de todas las regiones del país. De ahí que no sólo la Secretaria Permanente del Ministerio de Salud, la Dra. Jean Dixon, brindara su aval para con el proyecto, sino que el Sr. Gary Campbell (Director, TIC; Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología, Energía y Minería) también hizo extensiva su bendición al momento que anunciaba un proyecto gubernamental de migración al software libre (GOJ FOSS Migration project, en inglés) y cómo se articularían ambos emprendimientos.
Programadores, administradores de sistemas, médicos, personal de enfermería y de registros de salud, así como otros funcionarios públicos se reunieron para participar de diversas reuniones, talleres y grupos focales. El propio departamento de informática y salud del Ministerio de Salud estuvo presente a través de miembros tanto a nivel nacional como regional, así como mediante representantes de registros de salud, clínico, técnico y administración de personal.
Luego de una intensa semana, se lograron definir las directrices iniciales para el proyecto, con el fin de completar la primera etapa para fines del presente año. Más aún, nuestro equipo de GNU Solidario visitó el centro de salud Slipe Pen Road para realizar mediciones y cálculos incipientes y poder extrapolarlas.

El camino hacia el despliegue nacional ha iniciado y, tanto el equipo local en el Ministerio de Salud como GNU Solidario se muestran optimsitas y decididos a completar la hoja de ruta y las expectativas trazadas. Esta iniciativa ha generado una gratificación que trasciende la jurisdicción local, en tanto no sólo la comunidad del Software Libre, sino que el mundo entero se regocija frente a este hito en la atención primaria de salud.
Taller con el equipo de informática del Ministerio de Salud
Edificio del Ministerio de Salud (Kingston)
Tal como establece el portal de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) sobre Atención Primaria de la Salud, “el objetivo supremo de la atención primaria de la salud es mejor salud para todos”. La OMS ha identificado cinco elementos claves para la consecución de este objetivo [1]:
  • reducir la exclusión y disparidades sociales en la salud
  • organizar servicios de salud en función de las necesidades y expectativas de las personas
  • intregrar la salud en todos los sectores
  • privilegiar modelos colaborativos de políticas de diálogo
  • incrementar la participación de diversos sectores
Ése es el objetivo de GNU Health: Universalidad en el cuidado de la salud. ¡eHealth para todos!


[1] The World Health Organization (WHO): Primary Health Care
 
  Sobre GNU Health

GNU Health es un sistema libre de salud e información hospitalaria que brinda las siguientes funcionalidades:

  • Sistema de información sobre la salud (Datos demográficos y epidemiológicos)
  • Sistema de información hospitalaria
  • Expediente médico electrónico
*Entre otros reconocimientos internacionales, GNU Health ganó el premio a Mejor Proyecto de Beneficio Social otorgado por la Fundación de Software Libre.

*GNU Health es un paquete oficial de GNU y forma parte de GNU Solidario, una organización sin fines de lucro que desarrolla proyectos de salud con software libre. GNU Solidario, en conjunto con la Universidad de las Naciones Unidas (Instituto Internacional para la Salud Global), firmaron un acuerdo social para implementar GNU Health y capacitar a los profesionales de la salud a nivel internacional.
*GNU Health se presentó ante la OMS y la Unión Internacional de Comunicación (ITU por sus siglas en inglés) durante la sesión “TICs para mejorar la información y la responsabilidad para la salud de las mujeres y los niños” en la Cumbre Mundial de la Sociedad de la Información (Foro WSIS) 2013 en Ginebra.

New version GNU Health 2.2.0

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

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Dear All:
I’m proud to announce the release of GNU Health version 2.2.0 !
New functionality, bug fixes and  new modules (Dengue and Diagnostic Imaging Tests ). Improvements in Surgery, appointments and patient evaluations, among others.
The development process for the next version (2.4) will focus on the upcoming Tryton 3.0.
You can download the official version from GNU
The upgrade should be straight forward, as all the upgrade scripts in Tryton and GNU Health are always included. An update=all should do it. Please report any issue you may find, either in the upgrade process or in the initial installation at health@gnu.org
Thank you for being part of the GNU Health community !
Luis Falcón

Jamaica Ministry of Health adopts GNU Health

21 Saturday Sep 2013

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“If yu waa good, yu nose affi run”
 
Welcome presentation of
 GNU Solidario Mission by the MoH

“Success requires hard work” is the meaning of this Jamaican proverb. With a bright Caribbean sun and an even brighter welcoming crew, GNU Health unshipped in a new bay this week. In cooperation with the Ministry of Health (MoH), a group mission of GNU Solidario visited Jamaica and inaugurated officially the project of deploying GNU Health within their Public Health Care system. 
The mission is in the context of the agreement signed between Jamaica Ministry of Health and GNU Solidario, to cooperate in the implementation of GNU Health, the Free Health and Hospital Information System in this country.

This step is a tipping point in health history, granted that Jamaica is the first country to embrace GNU Health nationwide. A herculean task, this implementation is demanding cross-sectoral integrations from all the regions of this country. Hence, not only the permanent secretary of the MoH, Dr. Jean Dixon, vouched for this undertaking, but Mr. Gary Campbell (Director, ICT; Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining) also extended his blessing while announcing the GOJ FOSS Migration project and how it will cooperate with the GNU Health enterprise as well.


Programmers, system administrators, physicians, nurses, health records staff, as well as other public officials gathered to participate in several meetings, workshops and focus groups. The MoH Health Informatics team itself had representatives from both the national and the regional levels, as well as Health Records, Clinical, IT and Management Personnel. 


After an intense week, the initial guidelines for the project were designed in order to complete the first stage by the end of this year. Moreover, our GNU Solidario team visited the Slipe Pen Road Comprehensive Health Centre for incipient calculations and further extrapolations.

 The path towards the national deployment has started, and both the local team at the Ministry of Health and GNU Solidario are optimistic and determined about fulfilling the roadmap and its expectations.

This initiative has generated a gratification that transcends the local jurisdiction, so that not only the Free Software community, but the whole world rejoice in this unprecedented milestone within Public Health Care.

Main IT crew that attended the workshops
Jamaican MoH building in Kingston

As stated at World Health Organization (WHO) Primary Health Care portal, “the ultimate goal of primary health care is better health for all”. WHO has identified five key elements to achieve that goal[1]:

  • reducing exclusion and social disparities in health;
  • organizing health services around people’s needs and expectations ;
  • integrating health into all sectors;
  • pursuing collaborative models of policy dialogue; and
  • increasing stakeholder participation.
That is GNU Health objective : Universality in Health Care. eHealth for all !
 
[1] The World Health Organization (WHO): Primary Health Care
 
About GNU Health

GNU Health is a Free Health and Hospital Information System that provides the following functionality: 

  • Health Information System (Demographics, Epidemiology)
  • Hospital Information System
  • Electronic Medical Record 

*GNU Health won the Best Project of Social Benefit from the Free Software Foundation, among other international awards.

*GNU Health is an official GNU Package , and is part of GNU Solidario, an NGO that delivers health with free software. GNU Solidario and the United Nations University, International Institute for Global Health have signed an agreement to implement and to train Health professionals GNU Health around the world.

*GNU Health was presented at the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Communication Union (ITU) session “ICT for Improving Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health” at the World Summit on the Information Society – WSIS 2013 Forum in Geneva.

 

GNU Health, the "Dok Champa" blooming in Lao

06 Friday Sep 2013

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National flower in Lao, the Dok Champa is a symbol of sincerity and the beauty of life. Likewise, the Center of Medical Rehabilitation (CMR) in Vientiane, capital city of Lao, is a pillar of pure honesty and compassion, dedicating their efforts and knowledge to promoting the best services for deaf, blind or otherwise disabled people. This week a team at CMR announced they will be incorporating GNU Health to their healthcare center. For the first stage of the project, the hospital will be implementing key modules such as Administration, Patient Registration, Accounting/Finances and Billing. 
Heading this enterprise will be the Director of the Center, Khamphet Manivong, along with Bounmy Sihaphom, Sisouvanh Sangbouaboulom and Anousak Souphavanh,
IT consultants from Calat.

 

This healthcare facility, formerly known as the National Rehabilitation Center, was established in 1964, comprised of the following departments:
  • Orthopedic workshop
  • Wheelchair workshop
  • Medical Rehabilitation
  • Community-based Rehabilitation
  • Special education for the deaf and the blind
  • Vocational school system for the disabled
However, it was not until March 29th, 1968, that the CMR officially opened its doors, providing physiotherapeutical treatment through an extended service across the country. It was originally the orthopedic workshop where prosthetic limbs for veterans and war victims were produced.

Nowadays, this center is rather renowned for its unique services for the unexploded ordenance (UXO) victims after the Vietnam War. The Hospital manages a total of 100 beds in different buildings and specializes in physical medicine, orthopedic surgery, prosthetic and orthotic fitting, as well as in physiotherapy and special education for blind and/or deaf children. Not only are they committed to the improvement of health conditions, but the center aims at changing the quality of life of every person they can reach. When it comes to their educational programs, this is what the hospital stated: “This is a significant step towards fulfilling the obligations of providing the fundamental rights of all our kids with disabilities to have equal access to mainstream education”.
 

It’s not over yet: the silent murderers attacking Lao

“The war is simply an obscenity, a depraved act by weak and miserable men, including all of us who have allowed it to go on and on with endless fury and destruction – all of us who would have remained silent had stability and order been secured. It is not pleasant to say such words, but candor permits no less”.

 

Noam Chomsky, in American Power and the New Mandarins (1969)

 

More than 30 years after Saigon’s fall, tipping point that ended the Vietnam War in 1975, the government of Lao is still asking the international community to sign a new agreement that forbids the use of cluster bombs.

During the Vietnam War, American airplanes dropped millions of bombs, many of which failed to explode when they hit the ground, but are yet still active today in the jungle. It is a war of the past that keeps murdering generations of the present.
 

5 things you should know about Lao

  • Capital city: Vientiane
  • Population: 6.5 mio (2012)
  • Government: Marxist-Leninist single-party state.
    • President: Choummaly Sayasone
    • Prime Minister: Thongsing Thammayong
  • Area: 236, 800 km2
  • Currency: Kip (LAK)
  • Official language: Lao
 


Laos Regions Map
View Larger Map

 

National Anthem of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: “Pheng Xat Lao”

 
  1. Lao appoints 4.5% of its GDP to healthcare (2013)–more than Monaco, Saudi Arabia and India, for example. However,  there is one physician every 3000 people and one bed every 1000 people. Interestingly enough, one in every 10.9 jobs belongs to the tourism sector (2010).

     

  2. During the bellicose period from 1964 to 1973, 260 million bombs fell on Lao, making the country (on a per capita basis) the most heavily bombed civilian population ever. Of these, around 80 million cluster bombs failed to explode, so most villages have unexploded ordnance (UXO) on display salvaged from the forest and rice fields. Alas, thousands of Laotians die every year because of this unwanted war veteran.

     

  3. The internet domain for Lao is .la; there are 1,532 internet hosts (2012) and 300 thousand internet users. Moreover, there are 5.481 million mobile cellulars (2012) for a 6.5 million population
  4. Most of the basic words of Lao have only one syllable. Multi-syllable words are usually higher level and used in religion, academics or government. They were taken mainly from Sanskrit, the classical language of India, and are often the same as or similar to high-level vocabulary in Thai.
  5. The Mekong River runs like a major artery for the length of the country and its vast network of tributaries allow both locals and visitors to reach the remote interior. The WWF organization affirms that a new species is registered every two days in the Mekong area.

 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 

"Care for the world", for "People Like Us": GNU Health @MedInfo2013

28 Wednesday Aug 2013

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Hundreds of researchers and practitioners from all around the world gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the “14th World Congress on Medical Health and Informatics” (MedInfo 2013). A triennial event, MedInfo provides both a high quality scientific exchange, as well as an opportunity for formal meetings and networking.

This particular edition, jointly hosted by the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) and one of its Member Societies, targetted at a thorough debate on conducting medical informatics by converging technologies, conveying sciences and connecting people. As Prof. Antoine Geissbuhler, MD, President of the IMIA, said: “It is about leaders of the community charting the way forwards in the current challenging seas, about understanding how to blend diverse and advanced tools and techniques to provide better science and better services, about acquiring, sharing and disseminating state of the art knowledge, and about fostering useful synergies between people through smart information systems”.

GNU Health and Free Software in the spotlight

Luis discussing Social medicine and GNU Health
Ferrer-Roca, Kobayashi, Safie, Falcon, Aljunid, 
Demski, Karopka and Lisby at MedInfo 2013 (Denmark)

Luis Falcon from our very own GNU Solidario, attended the congress to present the GNU Health platform during the Mini-Symposium “Care for the World. Collaboration, Openness, Transparency and Trust as Prerequisite for High Quality, Effective and Efficient Health Care “. 

Hans Demski presenting Medfloss


Among the authors of this presentation were also Thomas Karopka, Syed Mohamed Aljunid, Nurhizam Safie, Hans Demski and Kjeld Lisby.

 
This mini-symposium portrayed two different methodologies to tackle the main Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) for health systems in the Global South: reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Both approaches aim to providing high-quality, efficient and effective health care through Free and Open Source Software (FLOSS) and Open & User Driven Innovation in a global context.

Paul Turner at eHealth for People Like Us workshop

   

Moreover, Falcon also participated in the workshop “Moving Beyond eHealth Systems for ‘People Like Us’”, along with Paul Turner, Andre Kushniruk, Pernille Bertelsen and Chris Showell. This interactive workshop was as much a scientific innovation as it was a humbling experience, allowing all attendees to experience the gap between some convoluted designs of eHealth systems and average or disadvantaged users. “People Like us” (PLU) is a thinking tool and a conceptualization of two archetypal categories of potential users: one group, highly skilled and motivated, and a second one, much less engaged with topics around health and healthcare. The different solutions offered at the end of the workshop resulted from collective thinking and diverse participation. 




Indicators from a roadmap towards high-quality healthcare

Pivot in MedInfo 2013 is to coalesce around key issues in facing the future of health and technology. For this reason, Luis Falcon, Thomas Karopka and other members of P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }A:link { }the Free Libre and Open Source Health Informatics Working Group (OSWG) of the IMIA agreed to generate a new system called “Common Health Indicator Reporting Interface”. This initiative brought together both experts and interested individuals from manifold areas of expertise to contribute in the potential application of open source solutions within their domains. Furthermore, the team at GNU Solidario confirmed that GNU Health would be incorporating this standard. P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }A:linkP { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }A:link { 
Thomas Karopka, Alvin Marcelo and Luis Falcon
Luis Falcon, Paul Turner and Thomas Karopka


MEDINFO 2013, Copenhagen 20-23 August

19 Monday Aug 2013

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MEDINFO 2013 Copenhagen starts this week, August 20 – 23. and are very proud to present GNU Health August 22nd from 8:30 to 10:00 in Room 1 during the:
 ” Care for the World Mini-Symposium: Minisymposium on Care for the World. Collaboration, Openness, Transparency and Trust as Prerequisite for High Quality, Effective and Efficient Health Care “.
The key speakers will be: Thomas Karopka, Syed Aljunid, Nurhizam Safie, Luis Falcon, Holger Schmuhl and Kjeld Lisby.
Please find more info in the detailed program online:

For more information about the Care for the World Minisymposium, please make sure to check out the IMIA flyer.

 We hope to see you in Copenhagen !

62nd IFMSA (International Federation of Medical Students Associations) General Assembly – Chile

16 Friday Aug 2013

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Santiago de Chile view
The Conference took place at the Catholic University of Chile, in Santiago, between August 01-07th, 2013. This year, as part of the recently established “ISfTeH & IFMSA Partnership”, the ISfTeH (International Society of Telemedicine & eHealth) organized an “eHealth Symposium”, on August 1st.
Dr. Etienne, Director of OPS-OMS and Dr. Jaime Mañalich Health Minister of Chile at the Opening Ceremony and Dinner Gala
I was invited as an ISfTeH FLOSS Working Group representative, together with Mr. Frank Lievens and Mr. Adolfo Sparenberg, ISfTeH Board Members.
The “ISfTeH & IFMSA eHealth Symposium”, on August 1st, counted with both our local and remote presentations by very active and recognized ISfTeH members: Dr. Etienne Saliez, Dr. Monika Hübler, Eng. Thomas Karopka.
Dr. Etienne, Director of OPS-OMS at the Opening Ceremony
On August 2nd we attended 2 sessions:
– IFMSA GA WG Session on Public Health Strategies: Where I presented the GNU Health Project and Adolfo Sparenberg presented the Public Telecardiology Project RS State/Brazil. The focus of this session was to introduce new opportunities and strategies which can contribute to the improvement of public health assistance. Around 40 IFMSA delegates, representing different countries, were part of the audience.
Sebastián Marró – GNU Health – AIFMSA GA WG Session on Public Health Strategies
– IFMSA Telemedicine Session- Round table meeting at the Catholic University of Chile: This activity was characterized as a practical activity aiming to identify students interested in telehealth matters and also as an attempt to organize a group of IFMSA national members for the establishment of an “eHealth working group”.
Sebastián Marró with IFMSA LORMA Maria Aroca
Sebastián Marró with Mr. Frank Lievens and Mr. Adolfo Sparenberg at the Opening Ceremony
I would like to thank Frank Lievens and Adolfo Sparenberg for inviting me to take part of this important activity jointly promoted by the ISfTeH and IFMSA and gave me the opportunity to introduce GNU Health and the Free Software concept to students from all over the world.
Sebastián Marró

Entrevista a Luis Falcón en Ethical Magazine (español).

08 Thursday Aug 2013

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Ethical Magazine:  Entrevistamos a Luis Falcón, creador de GNU Solidario y GNU Health dos herramientas para promover la salud gracias al software libre, implantado ya en los cinco continentes con un objetivo claro: “romper los grilletes digitales” que nos atan a grandes corporaciones multinacionales y que frenan la salud pública de todos como motor básico para el desarrollo de los pueblos …

Entrevista completa:

Muchas gracias al equipo de Ethical Magazine !

GNU Health chosen by Auroville, the Universal City.

25 Thursday Jul 2013

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Auroville, the Universal City, chose GNU Health, the Universal Health Information System.
The first sentence that we find when we enter Auroville’s homepage is :

“Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity.”

No wonder why we have such a good connection, since the concepts of community and universality are common to Free Software.

GNU Solidario is working hand-in-hand with Aurovillians so the City and their health center can have its own Health Information System.

The Galaxy : Auroville layout

Auroville is located in the south of India, in Tamil Nadu state. It designed to host 50000 people, from all over the world. Currently has citizens from 45 nations.

UNESCO commendment : In 1966 UNESCO passed a unanimous resolution commending Auroville as a project of importance to the future of humanity, thereby giving their full encouragement.

Auroville’s Unending education

GNU Health is being implemented in Auroville’s health centers, working at many levels, with health promotion and disease prevention, demographics, epidemiology and, of course, the day-by-day medical encounters and health center management. Auroville health professionals take care of the city and surroundings.

Room in Kailash Clinic

The new building of the Auroville Institute for Integral Health was started one year ago. It will be the new home for the Kailash Clinic where a new health care model called ‘the integrative practice of medicine’ will be practised. This model is based upon collaboration of multiple medical systems (western and eastern) to provide holistic care. The building will have consultation and treatment rooms and rooms for in-patient and senior care. It will also provide training and research facilities.

Matrimandir : The Soul of the City

In GNU Solidario, we are honored and very proud to be part of this project, which aims to be an example of unity, community and solidarity. 

 

Auroville Animal Care Center

 

Look for the inner causes of disharmony
much more than outer ones.
It is the inside that governs the outside.

It’s a great to see that GNU Health, the Free Software Health and Hospital Information System, has been chosen to be part of Auroville, a symbol of “sustainable living and the future cultural, environmental, social and spiritual needs of mankind“

More information : www.auroville.org


About GNU Health
GNU Health is a Free Health and Hospital Information System that provides the following functionality: 

  • Health Information System (Demographics, Epidemiology)
  • Hospital Information System
  • Electronic Medical Record 

GNU Health won the Best Project of Social Benefit from the Free Software Foundation, among other international awards.

GNU Health is an official GNU Package , and is part of GNU Solidario, an NGO that delivers health with free software. GNU Solidario and the United Nations University, International Institute for Global Health have signed an agreement to implement and to train Health professionals GNU Health around the world.

GNU Health was presented at the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Communication Union (ITU) session “ICT for Improving Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health” at the World Summit on the Information Society – WSIS 2013 Forum in Geneva.


Main site : health.gnu.org

Budi Luhur University, Indonesia, joins GNU Health !

19 Friday Jul 2013

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Once again, with great pleasure and honor, we announce that another university has joined the GNU Health Community: The Budi Luhur Universitas (Indonesia)
Budi Luhur University, under the management of Budi Luhur Foundation is a nationally recognized institution with excellent teaching. The university being the pioneer among private universities in Indonesia offering computer studies, is consistently judged as one of Indonesia’s best higher educational institution in computer studies and is still highly respected.
We are so proud to see how GNU Health is spreading globally in the health care and academic system.
Thanks again to the Budi Luhur University for joining us !