Free, open source RHIO software coming

A group of California-based foundation executives expect to turn their regional health information network software into an open-source product by early 2007, in hopes that they'll help foster RHIO development nationwide. Officials at the California HealthCare Foundation had spent $20 million to build the software running the Santa Barbara County Data Exchange. Foundation officials, who spoke at a Washington, DC-area health information conference this week, said it would cost around $700,000 to make the conversion. If they go ahead and make the port, it appears that RHIO-building nationwide could get a boost. Another speaker, Forrester Research VP Eric Brown, predicted that if open-source RHIO software became widely available, 60 percent of the country would have access to a RHIO, as opposed to 48 percent if open-source options aren't available.

To learn more about the open-source RHIO software effort:
- read this Government HealthIT article [1]

Related Articles:
IBM hopes open source will open healthcare IT silos. Report [2]
Open source tech to ride health IT growth. Report [3]
United Nations official backs open source for public health IT. Report [4]