Tim Elwell, VP, Open Source Initiatives, Misys
Announcement
What was announced?
On October 24, 2007, Misys announced that it will make the Misys Connect™ healthcare interoperability solution available to the open source software development community. This contribution is being made in an effort to accelerate the establishment of working interoperability open standards. The contribution of source code, which is expected to be released in February 2008, is a demonstration of Misys’ commitment toward promoting interoperable solutions which is expected to improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery.
Open Source and Interoperability
Why has Misys decided to concentrate on the interoperability challenge and take an open source approach?
Misys believes that there is an imminent need for vendors to create better electronic medical record solutions that connect providers to secure, critical patient data upon request.
With our contribution of source code to the open source community, Misys will be the first, large proprietary vendor to step forward to confront the lack of interoperability between healthcare professionals and institutions that continue to threaten the quality of patient care. Misys is hopeful that other software vendors will work with open source developers in the various open source communities to make important contributions which will help to reduce interconnectivity problems in a transparent way.
Code Contribution and Timetable
What will Misys actually be contributing?
Misys will make available the Open Source Connect components and documentation, which includes code for Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) interoperability (tested in the Connect-a-thons), as well as code formerly made available only in object code form under a restrictive license.
For the purpose of these questions and answers, the contributed code will be referred to as “Open Source Connect” in order to distinguish the software from the existing Misys Connect solution.
Why has Misys chosen to announce now?
The announcement was made to send a signal to the healthcare community that Misys is prepared to openly collaborate with partners and competitors and to pique their interest in helping us solve the challenges surrounding interoperability in an open source environment.
Why hasn’t Open Source Connect code been released?
Our developers are working on packaging existing code that other developers will be able to download and run so that usable versions of the Misys software will have value to the community. Perhaps, more importantly, we are striving to be transparent and to reach out to others in the industry to work with us in creating demonstration models of interoperability based on open standards.
We are working with partners and potential partners to define the best way to make the code available and decide which licenses are most appropriate to promote rapid development and adoption of the interconnectivity work that Misys and others have created.
When will the Open Source Connect be available?
It is our intention to begin to release the code by the end of February 2008. In the coming months, we will be making announcements for launching solutions and support services that use Open Source Connect, including potential business partnerships.
What language will the source code be written in? Will the source code be cross-platform?
Open Source Connect is written in Java. As such, the interoperability platform will be cross-platform in that the application programming interfaces will employ standard web services that can receive and exchange data within any supported environment.
Licensing
What will be the licensing arrangement for Open Source Connect?
Misys intends to provide the Open Source Connect code under an Open Source Initiative (OSI) approved licensing vehicle and access to the code under a license that will guarantee the user the right to read, redistribute, modify, and use the open source software freely. Presently, we are leaning toward the Apache Software License, Version 2.0.
Misys has two major goals when choosing an Open Source license for Open Source Connect:
- Provide a free implementation of the interoperability standards with no barriers to any other company who wants to use the code.
- Provide a system that is released under a compatible license with a majority of other Open Source healthcare projects, which are licensed using the General Public License (GPL) or the Eclipse Public License (EPL). After analyzing both of these goals, we decided that the Apache Software License, version 2.0 is our best option, allowing both Open Source projects and commercial entities to use this system without restrictions.
What about existing Misys Connect customers and existing licenses?
Our Connected Community customers are among Misys’ most valued customers so we will be looking at each current licensed customer to determine what steps need to be taken to support them.
Value Proposition and Interoperability Challenge
What is the value proposition of Misys’ open source interoperability solution?
Misys hopes its contributions, coupled with other vendor contributions, will ultimately reduce the costs associated with creating redundant development efforts which will result in even better patient care solutions. Good examples of how the process worked can be found in the development of the Apache Server or the Mozilla Browser.
Although the industry is a ways off in making this a reality, solving the healthcare interoperability challenge will allow the healthcare electronic medical record (EMR) software market to grow.
Won’t the large EMR software providers solve the interoperability challenge?
Misys believes that it is unlikely that any one vendor’s integrated suite of EMR software will emerge as the default choice for all healthcare providers.
By offering software that incorporates IHE recommendations, Misys is encouraging others to contribute to the community which will result in more rapid development of interoperability solutions. This effort is expected to benefit healthcare providers, hospitals and patients.
Corporate Business Strategy
Why has Misys decided to contribute Open Source Connect code?
Misys is contributing its existing development investment in intersystem communication (i.e., Misys Connect), so that expert developers can use the code as a starting point and make it even better. Alternatively, developers may elect to incorporate the code in existing or other emerging open source healthcare interoperability community efforts.
Misys has adopted its Open Source Connect strategy to leverage the good work that has already been done in a number of open source communities, such as the Eclipse Open Healthcare Framework (OHF) project. Misys will continue to modify its strategy, as required, to meet the needs of the communities in which it participates. In the case of interoperability, the provision of source code under an open source license to the healthcare community is the right direction to follow and fully supports the desire of the healthcare community to create standards-based solutions.
To what degree will Misys incorporate open source into its corporate application strategy?
Frankly, Misys is just beginning to dip its toe into the open source pool. We have identified one area in which we have chosen not to differentiate ourselves – interconnectivity. We hope this is a less threatening area for our competitors to participate as well. Interoperability is a tough problem and one where the open source community can help and also have an important impact on healthcare delivery. We will make some mistakes and intend to learn from them. However, we are also hoping to demonstrate to ourselves and the industry that this is exactly how software development needs to work. Once successful, we expect you will see other projects begun by Misys in the open source communities.
Does Open Source Connect signal a shift or new strategic direction for Misys?
This is a new strategic direction for our company.
The bottom line is that Misys will support the development of an open source, standards-based interoperability solution that is collaboratively developed and governed within an open source software community.
Misys will offer both proprietary and open source software products and solutions and will leverage the interoperability capabilities of Open Source Connect to stimulate new business opportunities.
Misys will also grow a service and support business, will provide hosted solutions, and will be looking toward the development of community-based relationships and partnerships to interject new vitality into our product offerings which is expected to help satisfy customer requirements.
Does Misys plan to become an open source software company?Although Misys does not envision developing all future software in an open source community, we expect to continue to adapt to market pressures and offer innovative business models such as ones that are contemplated with our Open Source Connect product. Depending on the success of the Open Source Connect project and other open source initiatives inside of Misys, we expect to continue our open source development activities with other products and in other divisions inside of Misys.
To support these efforts, Misys has established a separate division within the company called Misys Open Source Solutions.
Will Misys continue to use Misys Connect in its product line?
Yes. Misys is committed to the continued utilization of Open Source Connect or the open source product of which Misys Connect becomes.
Community
How does Misys intend to build an open source community around Open Source Connect?
We have been talking to many folks about this question and we don’t have a good answer yet. We don’t want to be redundant to what’s already available but also think there is a need for the aggregation of much of the good work that exists onto a single working platform. To make this happen, much work needs to be done. We are discussing the possibility of encouraging the creation of a Foundation to promote the adoption of EMRs; where expert users (i.e., providers) and developers could congregate (virtually) and post needs, create requirements and translate the requirements into software code that would work on the established community developed platform. The interesting thing about this concept is that others who we are talking to also have been thinking about the same concept.
The Misys motivation is clear. As a major player in the deployment of EMRs with a large established install base of customers, we think that greater EMR adoption is a good thing for our company. With less than 10% of the small physician market having an EMR, the upside potential is great and the impact in improving patient care would be greater.
Beside the Open Source Connect code, is there more to Misys’ commitment to the community?
Misys will continue to develop the Open Source Connect code to strive to comply with open standards of IHE, meet the needs of Misys Connected Communities, integrate IHE standards into Misys products, and stimulate open source community development.
Our objective goes beyond just promoting open interoperability standards; Misys is committed to getting open standards adopted and put into practice.
As a further demonstration of our commitment to solving the interoperability challenge, Misys has formed the Center for Community Health Leadership to promote EMR adoption best practices. Misys has committed $10M in community technology grants to promote the creation and support of connected communities.
Why did Misys elect to join the Eclipse Foundation?
The Eclipse Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to open source development, is one of the partners that Misys will work with. Misys believes that there is merit in working with the Eclipse Foundation to advance the development of their Open Healthcare Framework (OHF) project, formed for the purpose of expediting healthcare information technology. However, at this time, Misys is focused on making the Misys Connect code open and promoting rapid adoption. Although a final decision has not been determined as to how Misys will work with Eclipse or whether Open Source Connect will use the Eclipse license, we are thinking that Misys would release the Open Source Connect code under the Apache Software License, Version 2.0 vehicle. Our goal is to remain as open as possible and to that end, we think that the Apache Software License v.2.0 best achieves that goal.
Business Model
What business model will Misys follow?
Misys will generate revenues via the sale of additional services and support fees around open source solutions. Misys expects to bundle Open Source Connect software with documentation for free but will also provide optional integration, training and support services for a fee.
Will there be an open source version of Connect and a Misys commercial version?
Misys expects to contribute all software improvements and bug fixes back to the open source community. Misys currently has no intention of producing and maintaining a version with features that are not included in the open source offering.
Will open source drive Misys in the direction of creating new business models?
Misys is a traditional application software company, but we also recognize that new business models will emerge as alternatives to the traditional licensing of software and on-premise implementation, and that the value proposition is beginning to shift from “ownership” to “quality of service.”
Furthermore, the value proposition for the next generation of applications will increase dramatically when open source software development is blended with other emerging technologies – such as, software-as-a-service (SaaS), service-oriented architecture (SOA) and Web 2.0 collaboration -- within a community-driven ecosystem.
How does SaaS compare to open source?
In general, “open source” refers to a development methodology and the way in which software is licensed. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which software is hosted off-premise and customers pay a flat fee or pay fees based on usage. In a SaaS environment, software may be either open source or proprietary, or a combination of both, but how the code is developed is of little interest to customers as their concerns are directed toward features, reliability and cost. Importantly, Open Source Connect will provide a platform for the potential connection of innovative SaaS services.
Communication
We welcome your questions, concerns and suggestions. If you’d like additional information or would like your email address added to a list for announcements about Open Source Connect, please send your email to Tim Elwell, VP of Open Source Initiatives for Healthcare. His email is tim.elwell@misys.com.
