Open source software is transforming healthcare
The public statement by NHS England is just the latest development in a broader trend: The wholehearted embrace of open source software by the healthcare sector. And no wonder; open source presents myriad opportunities for this most complex of industries, with potential solutions across various sub-sectors. Yes, open source is now powering everything from medical wearables to healthcare human resource management.
Information technology is playing an increasingly vital role in every sector of the economy, with the healthcare industry no exception. One of the most important developments in this field is the growth of health informatics—in other words, the acquisition and analysis of all types of patient data, including test results, scans, and electronic health records (EHR).
Informatics is all about providing better health outcomes for patients, but essential to this are standardization and interoperability—and this is where open source can make a big difference because of its truly collaborative and "open" nature.