Trend: Open source seen as solution for healthcare

Open-source software could provide the missing piece that the healthcare industry has been looking for as it moves to modernize, according to a new report by Forrester Research prepared for the California Health Care Foundation. Although healthcare providers have traditionally resisted moving to open-source solutions, economics and the demands of integrating systems on a large scale may have changed the playing field, the research group argues. While commercial software vendors will still play a dominant role, Forrester argues, the end result could be a discernible shift in the balance of power, noting "[open source] will likely become the standard for capturing, sharing, and managing patient information to support quality care."

- see this report for more on this trend (pdf)