OpenMRS

The Application

OpenMRS (http://www.openmrs.org) is a free, open-source, application, which enables design of a customized medical records system with no programming knowledge (although medical and systems analysis knowledge is required). It is a common framework upon which medical informatics efforts in developing countries can be built. The system is based on a conceptual database structure, which is not dependent on the actual types of medical information required to be collected or on particular data collection forms, and so can be customized for different uses. At its core is a concept dictionary, which stores all diagnosis, tests, procedures, drugs and other general questions and potential answers. OpenMRS is a client-server application, which means it is designed to work in an environment where many client computers access the same information on a server. The application is designed to be accessible in a standard web browser and requires no more than that on the client side for interaction with the system

The Community

OpenMRS is also a community of people working to apply health information technologies to solve problems, primarily in resource-poor environments. We are a proud community of developers, implementers, funders, and users all trying to make the world a better place by using our expertise to improve the health and wellness of the planet.

Features

This is an incomplete list of OpenMRS features “out of the box”:

Central concept dictionary: Definitions of all data (both questions and answers) are defined in a centralized dictionary, allowing for robust, coded data
Security: User authentication
Privilege-based access: User roles and permission system
Patient repository: Creation and maintenance of patient data, including demographics, clinical observations, encounter data, orders, etc.
Multiple identifiers per patient: A single patient may have multiple medical record numbers
Data entry: With the FormEntry module, clients with InfoPath (included in Microsoft Office 2003 and later) can design and enter data using flexible, electronic forms. With the HTML FormEntry module, forms can be created with customized HTML and run directly within the web application.
Data export: Data can be exported into a spreadsheet format for use in other tools (Excel, Access, etc.)
Standards support: HL7 engine for data import
Modular architecture: An OpenMRS Module can extend and add any type of functionality to the existing API and web application.
Patient workflows: An embedded patient workflow service allows patient to be put into programs (studies, treatment programs, etc.) and tracked through various states.
Cohort management: The cohort builder allows you to create groups of patients for data exports, reporting, etc.
Relationships: Relationships between any two people (patients, relatives, caretakers, etc.)
Patient merging: Merging duplicate patients
Localization / internationalization: Multiple language support and the possibility to extend to other languages with full UTF-8 support.
Support for complex data: Radiology images, sound files, etc. can be stored as “complex” observations
Reporting tools: Flexible reporting tools
Person attributes: The attributes of a person can be extended to meet local needs

Additional features are added through the use of “Modules” found at (http://modules.openmrs.org)

Where is OpenMRS being used?

OpenMRS is in use around the world as illustrated on the detailed site listing http://openmrs.org/about/locations/

OpenMRS is a tool of choice and is being used by a range of institutions, NGOs, projects and research organizations such as:

- Regenstrief
- Millennium Villages Project
- Partners in Health
- Vanderbilt University
- Jembi Health Systems
- … for a larger list please see http://openmrs.org/about/locations/

Technology and System requirements

OpenMRS is built using JAVA and all code is available online from the OpenMRS repositories. There are various means of installing OpenMRS; the most popular is a native installation using the following technology Stack:

- MySQL
- Apache Tomcat

Documentation

OpenMRS provides support to the community, that contributes to its documentation and development as well as providing support, through the use of various channels:

- Website (http://www.openmrs.org)
- Mailing Lists (http://wiki.openmrs.org/display/RES/Mailing+Lists)
- IRC channels
- Meetings (https://wiki.openmrs.org/display/docs/Meetings)

Future Work

OpenMRS is continuously monitoring the “pulse” of its community to adapt to meet needs and requests. A roadmap of where OpenMRS is heading can be found at http://wiki.openmrs.org/display/docs/Road+Map