Hi everyone … please welcome @tony McCormick to the forums; one of the key folks from the OpenEMR project and a long-time friend & colleague.
This week at Open Source Bridge, Tony let me know that the OpenEMR contributor community is going through a similar transition to OpenMRS in terms of looking to increase innovation and opportunity. At first, I was sure he was joking, because it was too uncanny that we were both at similar places in time.
Over the past couple days, we’ve chatted about how we may be able to work together. I think many of us on both sides have long believed OpenMRS has a very solid data model and API, while OpenEMR was more of a comprehensive/“turnkey” EMR. This week, we discussed the possibility of a closer partnership where the former OpenEMR team might consider bringing their project under the LibreHealth umbrella as a sub-project, in close coordination with our current plans for LibreHealth Toolkit, on top of which a more fully-realized EMR can be built.
Another interessting idea Tony put forward was to further explore partnership with OSEHRA as a potential fiscal sponsor. They had already been discussing such an arrangement, and tomorrow (Thursday) he will bring up the idea of this collaboration with the head of OSEHRA to get his reaction. We will continue to explore other arrangements with Linux Foundation & Software Freedom Conservancy, as well as others. The general feeling at this point is that a fiscal sponsor does not need to be included in our public announcement.
Personally, I’m excited about the power of this potential partnership. I feel like it will strengthen our announcement, as well as clearly demonstrate our committment to doing something bigger and better than either of our predecessor organizations would have been able to do alone.
But I want to hear what you all think. Please share your thoughts, be they positive or concerned. Tony has shared the idea with key members of the team on his side, and they are excited about our work in the API and with FHIR. They are also working on several different exciting projects, all of which bring some unique opportunities for collaboration & sharing of minds.
This is a special time and we should make sure to evaluate it carefully as we move toward the first of the month. Let’s hear what you have to say!
PS: @judywawira, Tony is based in Portland so perhaps you could meet up next week when you’re in town for the SIIM Hackathon.
PPS: Tony, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong anywhere, or if you have other thoughts to add. 
