The Veterans Affairs Department has released a draft request for proposals to develop the next generation of its next-generation electronic health record system based on open source software.

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The Veterans Affairs Department released last Friday its request for proposals (RFP) for an outfit it calls a Custodial Agent to manage an "open source ecosystem" for development of its next generation electronic health record.

VA said it plans to use the Custodial Agent to set up and manage a code repository that will be used to update its current Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) health as well as provide software to the entire health care community. Read More »

InnoCentive is one of the leading companies in crowdsourcing, open innovation, and incentive contests. It recently announced a partnership with Popular Science magazine to facilitate open innovation and greater collaboration in solving challenges in technology, science, and engineering.

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A new company named HealthTap has just put together an intriguing combination of crowdsourced health advice and community-building... For me, although the venture is worthy in itself, it offers a model of something that might be even better as a national or international effort. Read More »

Take for instance open source drug discovery (OSDD): the newest of all the science projects Saini talks about, and a classic example of a tiny oasis of good-calibre science in a vast desert. It’s the brainchild of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) director general Samir Brahmachari, who is himself surprised at the interest OSDD has generated in the international community.
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As Nextgov's Bob Brewin has reported, the Pentagon and the Department of Veterans Affairs will create a common platform for their electronic health records. A plan for implementing the joint venture is due in early May. Read More »

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments will make the purchase of commercial software their first choice for development of a joint electronic health record, according to a March 25 internal memo signed by top officials in both departments. Read More »

Healthcare leaders recognize that we have been poorly equipped to share patient information and are eager for changes. In fact, a recent survey of top healthcare leaders around the world indicates they’re most concerned with implementing technology that allows doctors to communicate with each other, believing that collaboration and information-sharing among health professionals have the greatest near-term potential for facilitating large-scale health sector innovation. Read More »