I am submitting a paper to the HINZ2018 conference in informatics in November. It is focussed upon the evolutionary history and success of OpenMRS. A colleague has reviewed the paper pre-submission and made the following comments. _
“The intro still sounds very retrospective so frame the talk as an update rather than as a new report to the HiNZ community, i.e. make the history very brief. I like that you’re citing recent articles but it doesn’t have the kind of life that’s typical of your presentations about this project. Perhaps you could do your presentation as a series of snapshot interviews with some people currently using the software and associated processes, e.g. make a few phone calls to people actively using it and report on that. Ask them the questions in the abstract – how are they using OpenMRS now, what lessons have they learned, what does the future hold_?”
I have found one YouTube on personal stories on their involvement in AMPATH [Rob Einterz led]. Are there other stories that may help me with this presentation? I have the MEDINFO 2015 slides on the Ebola adaptation of OpenMRS. Terry Hannan
I am also considering a similar submission for the APAMI conference in Colombo in October. I have materials on OpenMRS in Bangladesh and the Philippines.
Hi @thannan,
Good to hear from you again! 
Did you get a chance to look at these case studies? https://openmrs.org/category/case-studies/
All, (and thanks to Daniel Kayiwa for his reply). Here is my revised Abstract in NZ in October. I have had it peer reviewed by a colleague in NZ (who I work closely with) and while retaining the 400 word limit this person has asked is there a way to make the message “punchier” and also consider including“what next” and what has been learnt. Feedback is welcomed. Terry Hannan HINZ Conference Submission Template - Clinical Case Study Dr Terry Hannan FRACP, FACHI,F ACMI
Presentation title ““Talkin’ about a revolution”: OpenSource electronic health records in resource-constrained settings. A continuing success story (2000 to 2018 and beyond)
Abstract Founded in 2004, OpenMRS is a free, modular open-source (OSS) electronic medical record platform used in about 1850 sites in low and middle-income countries (LMIC), involving more than 6.3 million patients. OpenMRS is a multi-institutional, non-profit collaboration supported by a large open source community.
OpenMRS medical record features location-based login; patient registration, search, and summary, including diagnosis, vitals, visits, allergies, actions, admissions, discharges and transfers; configure metadata; forms management; data management (merge patient electronic records); system administration; and registration to the OpenMRS Atlas which reports implementations worldwide.
OpenMRS uses diverse technologies, international clinical standards, HL7 and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) support; adaptable APIs, support for core services via REST-WS module and multiple identifiers per patient. Electronic forms data entry, data export and e-patient workflows. It has multilingual formats and has add-on or developable modules.
OpenMRS is easily be adapted and scalable to local requirements. OpenMRS tools are used for passive disease and program surveillance in combination with the Suite for Automated Global Electronic bio-Surveillance (SAGES) tool. The WHO Millennium Villages Project (MVP) introduced OpenMRS and mobile phone technology in sub-Saharan African countries to achieve its goals.
OpenMRS was designed to be used to combat HIV and has had significant impact in both prevention, screening and treatment. Of OpenMRS in 2009 Braitstein wrote, “Now not only are HIV/AIDS programs in place, ……but some of them, are openly speaking of bringing the pandemic to its knees over the next 5 years through widespread screening and effective treatment and prevention of HIV.” In 2012 it was the most commonly used OSS in centres involved in HIV care and in non-HIV related programs.
The use of OpenMRS in LMIC demonstrated that disease management was only possible by using an electronic medical record system like OpenMRS. The WHO implemented guideline training for OpenMRS in clinics leading to a 50% reduction in unnecessary treatments for malaria. Furthermore, during the Ebola epidemic OpenMRS allowed for actionable data, rapid responses, and e-model model for future epidemics and crises. Clinical data empowered the Ministries of Health to develop healthcare policies to prevent the rapid spread of epidemics and improve the delivery of publically provided health services.
Successes has seen a dramatic increase in implementations worldwide. Community feedback led to more investments in resources in LMIC facilitating innovation. OpenMRS continues to be a mission-driven community, serving resource constrained environments through implementing better health record-keeping practices. Project participants continue to create challenges constantly keeping the users at the front of our minds.
@thannan could this help as a user story? And we have a new one coming out soon, like tomorrow or something 
Dmitri, initial answer is yes but can you explain further? I want to use this as a conference Abstract so would like to know where it may be displayed and affect my paper’s acceptance. Terry
my email is drterryhannan■■■■■■■■■■
Just an update on your numbers from our annual report just published here. ~3037 sites, 8.7 million patients.
Thanks Jan