OpenMRS - The New Dimension of Healthcare

Introduction

Even in today's world, where the technology is said to be advanced and medical care at its peak, where the average life expectancy being recorded as 70 years in the recent years worldwide, in a world where we have top class health care solutions available to all, yet it is highly saddening to hear that over 40 million people are infected with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, and malaria – most (up to 95%) of these afflictions are present in developing countries.
If you want an example from contemporary times then the fatal epidemic Ebola is spreading seamlessly and we have not been able to yet develop any cure. 

How do we go ahead with tackling such a problem? This is right where OpenMRS steps in to try and provide a solution to one aspect of it - effective data management of health care.

It has been found out that with effective data management, there are more chances of curing the patient as early as possible. In developing countries, sometimes it is true that quite a large amount of time passes by just to figure out what disease has the patient got.

Objectives and Goals

OpenMRS is driven with a mission. Ideally it had no need to. A couple of software developers, doctors and designers could easily have shrugged there shoulders on every new news of epidemic spread or poor health care management and continue working in their high profile high-paid jobs.

But no! They have instead chosen to put efforts to make the world a better place to live not just for themselves, but for the deprived sections of our community. It need not be donations, famine rescue or anything philanthropic. They are involved in social work through this very ingenious platform, OpenMRS.

OpenMRS believes its objective to be to eradicate all deaths from minor diseases and provide good health care solutions in the poorest and remotest parts of the world. They plan to do so using OpenMRS platform which is available free of cost to anybody willing. OpenMRS is currently widely used in a couple of developing countries and the numbers are increasing boundlessly!

In its short term goals, OpenMRS plans to formally release the official version as current stages are still under development. You can support OpenMRS in whichever way you can through this link. You don’t need to be a programmer or a physician to help save lives.

Where Has OpenMRS Reached?

Users Worldwide

To be precise, OpenMRS is not based out of any particular place or region. In fact, its users themselves are the operators.

People from a few places have used it and found it very useful, from: South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Haiti, India, China, United States, Pakistan, the Philippines, and many other places (click to see).

The Vast Extent

Additionally, you can see a map overview if you prefer to which will give you an idea of the extent of OpenMRS - see the OpenMRS Atlas.

U

Usage and Structure
OpenMRS is a free to download software which won't take much of your space. If you wish to, you can opt for additional cloud storage which OpenMRS can provide you to keep your data safe. The primary software will function off your PC in your medic centre or practice.

OpenMRS in use (Click to expand)

There are several other MRSs available in the market, some free while some paid. But till now most of them require a physical data storage or require you to set up your own servers. While some do offer to maintain your data, if these startups close down then your data is gone along with the company.

On a Final Note

Lastly I would like to say that OpenMRS is doing a great job in this field. The very fact that it is Open Source tells us a lot about its attitude towards social work. OpenMRS is turning out to be a boon for hundreds of deprived citizens of developing countries. I only hope that more and more people come in contact with such organisations and help extend their work.
You can read more and get involved by clicking here.

The Team and Participants/Contributors