Almost a year ago, our OpenSure Free Press reported on developments at Moorfields Eye Hospital, where a group of medics had collaborated on Open Eyes, an open source patient record and monitoring system that met their needs, unlike what was then on offer to them. Here’s how we covered the story at the time:

Open your eyes to Open Source
This Guardian article about Moorfields Eye Hospital’s OpenEyes program is a prime example of how and why open source works. A group of medics at Moorfields, feeling that patients’ and their own requirements weren’t being met by “disparate electronic systems, imaging devices, emails and paper notes”, has collaborated on OpenEyes,

a collaborative, open source electronic patient record (EPR) project for opthalmology

OpenEyes has the advantage of

the potential to save several million pounds over three years as a result of improved efficiencies and the reduced amount spent on storage, fire protection and transportation of paper notes

The article is well worth reading, not least for a discussion of the place of open source in reducing NHS costs. We give the last word to Bill Aylward, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields, talking about the role of open source over proprietary systems in providing tools to meet the NHS’ requirements:

“I think the commercial model is not one that is suitable to deliver it in my view, or at least it’s had its chance and failed. If you throw £11bn at a problem and commercial companies give it their best shot and fail, that’s telling you something.”

We’re delighted now to report that OpenEyes is going from strength to strength and adding modules, as covered in this H-Online article, OpenEyes expands capabilities. In addition “Since the project’s conception, ophthalmic units in several other UK hospitals have started supporting its development”. It’s open source in action.