Medsphere Releases Community Editions of OpenVista® EHR Platform

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Medsphere Systems Corporation today announced the release of the source code for its OpenVista^® electronic health record (EHR) platform in new server- and client-side community editions. OpenVista is a commercial implementation of the highly regarded VistA EHR system developed by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The announcement marks the launch of Medsphere’s efforts to coalesce an open source community around its platform and accelerate EHR adoptions by providing a low-cost VistA-based alternative with opportunities for collaborative development.

OpenVista’s new community editions include commercial enhancements made to the public domain VistA source code by Medsphere developers to adapt the software to the needs of non-VA facilities, modernize the graphical user interface, and extend the lifecycle of the VistA system. All Medsphere enhancements have been tested and validated in commercial OpenVista deployments, notably at Midland Memorial Hospital in Midland, Texas.

In addition, the new editions form a foundation for ongoing OpenVista enhancements that can be adopted by hospitals and other healthcare providers, incorporated into Medsphere’s commercial editions, and used to encourage EHR deployments at more healthcare organizations.

The new OpenVista editions are:

• OpenVista Server CE 1.0, including the database, business logic, and significant terminology and workflow changes to the VistA platform to support non-VA users. For example, the Medical Record Unit number has been added to patient searches; visits are tracked by the account number to facilitate accurate billing; and enhanced calculations have been added to support pediatric ages and functionality surrounding infant numeric displays. Application changes include the ability to fax lab results, additional age-based medication dose range checking for medication orders, and integration of lab results into the ordering process. The software is available under Version 2 of the GNU General Public License (GPL V2).
• OpenVista Client CIS CE for Windows, Linux and Apple Mac users, including Medsphere’s enhanced graphical front end and new SOAP layer for the VistA clinical information system. The suite enables physicians to accurately and efficiently capture clinical encounters, order tests and medications, request and track consults, and more with a graphical user interface that is similar in look and feel to the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System. The client is now in beta release under the Mozilla-based Medsphere Public License, with general availability expected later this year.

Both OpenVista platform products are now available for download on SourceForge.net and through the beta version of Medsphere’s community web site at www.medsphere.org. Medsphere will launch a full community portal later this year to support developers interested in customizing OpenVista for their environments as well as contributing functional enhancements and extensions to the OpenVista platform.

“These releases provide a robust commercial EHR framework that will enable healthcare providers to leverage the billions of dollars invested in the VA’s VistA system over more than 20 years, as well as Medsphere’s investment in tailoring VistA for non-VA, commercial use,” said Dr. Kenneth W. Kizer, Chairman and CEO of Medsphere Systems.

“This is the first step in coalescing an OpenVista community and encouraging peer review and outside contributions that will continually improve the platform as well as deliver faster upgrades and enhancements,” Kizer said. “We believe this will help accelerate the movement to electronic health records by providing an alternative to expensive proprietary EHR systems, among other things.”

The OpenVista platform consists of an integrated suite of clinical and administrative modules that can be deployed across acute, ambulatory, and long term care environments. Modules cover the full range of patient care functions including patient information management, health information management, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology, mental health, nutrition and food service, and a robust clinical information system complete with clinical documentation, computerized provider order entry, and clinical reminders. Together, these systems provide an integrated view of orders, test results and medications for a given patient to help strengthen clinical decision support, improve patient safety and healthcare outcomes, and reduce costs.

OpenVista is also available under a commercial license as part of Medsphere’s commercial open source business model. Commercial users receive professional services, training, ongoing product upgrades, and 24x7 technical support from Medsphere.

About Medsphere Systems Corporation

Medsphere is the leading provider of professional open source technology for the healthcare industry. The company is revolutionizing healthcare by delivering commercially supported software based on the proven VistA electronic health record developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the brand name of OpenVista®, Medsphere offers a portfolio of products and professional services for hospitals, clinics and integrated delivery networks. The company addresses the capital constraints of the healthcare industry through an innovative subscription based pricing model. Medsphere's experienced team of healthcare technology professionals and unique suite of rapid implementation tools deliver unprecedented time to value recognition. For more information, visit http://www.medsphere.com.