About

Context

This blog follows the Clinical Informatics Research Group’s (CIRG) implementation of an open source lab information system (OpenELIS) in Côte d’Ivoire (CI).   Our partners for this project include I-TECH, CDC, and PEPFAR.

Côte d’Ivoire is the second country using CIRG’s modified OpenELIS with Haiti being the first.  The Haiti and CI versions share the same code base but differ in requirements and implementation details.   For more history on the work done for Haiti, visit http://haitilis.wordpress.com.

We may describe the activities of our partners in so far as they impact our work, but our intent is neither to lay claim to their work (OpenELIS, I-TECH’s M&E and program activities, OpenMRS, Bika, the National Lab LIS Working Group, etc.), nor to critique those efforts.  We simply intend to openly and candidly describe our own efforts, within our own scope of activity, to apply what others have developed.

What

This blog describes the goals, plans, and progress of the implementation of a Laboratory Information System (LIS) in Côte d’Ivoire to support clinical care and treatment. The implementation is based on OpenELIS (openelis.org), an open-source LIS. Please see their website for more information.

Who

This site was started by the technical team responsible for the initial assessment, modification, and configuration of OpenELIS to meet the needs in Côte d’Ivoire, the Clinical Informatics Research Group at the University of Washington (cirg.washington.edu), under the auspices of I-TECH.

Specific individuals primarily responsible for this blog include

• Bill Lober, MD (Principal Investigator)
• Jan Flowers (Technical Manager)
• Christina Quiles (Technical Manager)
• Paul Schwartz (Programmer)
• Laura Nixon (Programmer)
• Perri Sutton, MPH (I-TECH Country Program Manager)

Why

As we began working with OpenELIS, we found ourselves explaining to a variety of partners and potential partners in Côte d’Ivoire, the United States, and around the world, what we intended to do, what we are currently doing, and how this initiative fits with our other activities in Côte d’Ivoire.

We strongly believe in open collaboration, and support open source as a mechanism to achieve that shared purpose. We believe that the goals of ensuring a successful information system implementation, and supporting the further development of both technical and clinical capacity in Côte d’Ivoire are best served by open collaboration. Following the advice of given by the OpenMRS collaborative, we intend to develop and maintain both a clear and transparent source of information about our work, and an ability for others to comment on our approach and experience.

Editorial Policy

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Privacy Policy

Privacy policy…? Come on… It’s just a blog, after all!