[FOSS_health] Interoperability - GK3 Panel Session

[Nandalal Gunaratne]

Why is it that, if FOSS is so useful to poor
developing countries, so few FOSS health applications
have come from them? 

For example what are the examples of those proiduced
in asia?

Nandalal
--- Joseph Dal Molin <dalmolin at e-cology.ca> wrote:

> Since this is a panel discussion I suggest that
> instead of word-smithing 
> the abstract any more (other than adding "open" to
> describe standards) 
> that we add some questions that will be posed to the
> panel to start off 
> and stimulate discussion.... here are the ones I can
> think of off the 
> top of my head:
> 
> ~ Are current practices and investment strategies in
> health ICT's in 
> developing countries fostering interoperability?
> ~ Given the high cost of integration observed in the
> "developed world's" 
> health ICT ecosystems how can developing countries
> avoid this high cost 
> and what is the role of FOSS in this context?
> ~ What role does or could open, collaborative ICT
> innovation among and 
> development among developing countris play in
> fostering interoperability?
> ~ What methods need to be developed or exist to
> evaluate ICTs role in 
> achieving health outcomes?
> 
> Hope this is useful.
> 
> Joseph
> 
> Molly Cheah wrote:
> > True, but like with most datelines, stretchibility
> (if there is such a 
> > word) appears to be the norm. I had since posted
> IDRC's initial crack at 
> > revising the summary for comments/modify and I had
> also given my 
> > comments. Please take a look at that.
> > 
> > Molly
> > Joseph Dal Molin wrote:
> > 
> >> Unfortunately it was well past the end of the
> business day here in 
> >> Ontario (Ottawa is in Ontario) when this message
> was received so I am 
> >> not sure that these comments will be helpful
> given the deadline IDRC 
> >> gave you. In any case.... here goes:
> Interoperability helps connect 
> >> the dots and provide the framework to support
> feedback loops in health 
> >> systems. This is essential to support continuous
> evidence based 
> >> improvement of health care delivery etc. as well
> as providing evidence 
> >> based decision support at the point of care. FOSS
> should make 
> >> connecting the dots easier and faster to achieve.
> Where I got stumped 
> >> is thinking of examples from the developing
> world....you might want to 
> >> look at the report I did for IDRC last fall that
> fed into the Panacea 
> >> project.
> >>
> >> Joseph
> >>
> >> Molly Cheah wrote:
> >>
> >>> Joseph, it would be more useful if comments is
> supported by 
> >>> suggestions/examples.
> >>> Anyway, this is IDRC's suggested proposal:
> >>>
> >>>> *Title*: Health outcomes: The role of ICT
> applications, standards 
> >>>> and practices
> >>>>
> >>>> *Overview*: This panel examines the central
> issue of health outcomes 
> >>>> through the lens of innovative ICT
> applications, standards and 
> >>>> practices in developing countries. The session
> provides an inclusive 
> >>>> overview of key issues pertaining to: changing
> health landscapes and 
> >>>> realities, specific examples highlighting
> ICT-enabled solutions, and 
> >>>> crosscutting issues of standards and
> interoperability of health 
> >>>> systems – including the role of Free and Open
> Source Software (FOSS).
> >>>>
> >>>> Developed in a way to stimulate discussion
> within and among the 
> >>>> panelists and audience members, the panel
> balances both practical 
> >>>> and theoretical considerations, questions and
> concerns related to 
> >>>> the role of ICTs in achieving beneficial health
> outcomes.
> >>>>
> >>> The above suggestion came in while I was asleep
> and have yet the 
> >>> opportunity to respond. My reaction is the
> missing "open" to preceed 
> >>> standards.
> >>> Comments please? IDRC wants the final comments
> end of the day (Ottawa 
> >>> time).
> >>>
> >>> Molly
> >>> Joseph Dal Molin wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> There is a direct connection between
> "interoperability" and the 
> >>>> "usefulness of ICTs in relation to health
> outcomes". Ignoring the 
> >>>> semantics of what exactly "interoperability"
> means... for the GK3 
> >>>> audience it will have a very general
> interpretation... I suggest you 
> >>>> pursue that avenue to link the two session
> abstracts.
> >>>>
> >>>> Joseph
> >>>>
> >>>> Molly Cheah wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Dear all,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> As a follow-up of the discussion on
> interoperability and Lee 
> >>>>> Seldon's summary, those who attended the OSHCA
> conference in KL in 
> >>>>> May will remember that OSHCA had submitted a
> proposal to present at 
> >>>>> a panel session "ICTs and Health" at GK3 in KL
> in December 2007. 
> >>>>> The session title may be modified to make it
> sound more attractive. 
> >>>>> See 
> >>>>>
>
http://www.globalknowledge.org/gkps_portal/index.cfm?&menuid=627&parentid=676
> 
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> OSHCA's submission had to go through IDRC as a
> partner because 
> >>>>> OSHCA is not a member of Globalknowledge.org.
> Recent update from 
> >>>>> IDRC is that OSHCA's submission had been
> merged with IDRC's own 
> >>>>> submission to become a panel session on the
> main conference to be 
> >>>>> restructured and renamed.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> The original submissions are as follows:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Session Summary from OSHCA:*
> >>>>> *
> >>>>>
> >>>>> "Open Source Health Care Alliance (OSHCA)
> believes that Free/Open 
> >>>>> Source Health Care Software will provide a
> viable and sustainable 
> >>>>> alternative in mainstream Information and
> Communication 
> >>>>> Technologies (ICT) for positive impact in
> health outcomes as 
> >>>>> adjunct to building a global knowledge
> society. Ability to share 
> >>>>> data in healthcare provides the greatest
> potential for such impact. 
> >>>>> The need for interoperability, open standards
> and data exchange in 
> >>>>> FOSS technology is felt most in the developing
> world. Many FOSS 
> >>>>> applications in healthcare have in fact been
> developed in relative 
> >>>>> isolation from each other. Notwithstanding
> their commitment to 
> >>>>> being open and standards compliant, there
> currently is no “forum” 
> >>>>> and facility to test and develop
> interoperability among FOSS health 
> >>>>> applications. Hence its crucial that these
> issues are addressed if 
> >>>>> moving the FOSS agenda for health especially
> in developing 
> >>>>> countries is to become a reality."
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Session Summary from IDRC:
> >>>>> "This panel discussion will focus on numerous
> issues related to the 
> >>>>> usefulness of ICTs in relation to health
> outcomes. It will explore 
> >>>>> the different experiences various partners
> have had with using 
> 
=== message truncated ===



       
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