openEHR and OpenEyes have been close partners from their inception. We have shared common goals and ways of working and a long-held ambition to align the OpenEyes ophthalmology electronic record on the openEHR platform.
The OpenEyes software is now managed under the auspices of the Apperta Foundation. After many years of effort, led and supported by a determined ophthalmology community, its status in the marketplace is now well-established in the UK. OpenEyes is now able to work incrementally towards re-platforming onto openEHR.
A public announcement this week described a first step in this process, in which Ian McNicoll and I have been closely involved. Details of the project and invitation for interested people to participate in reviewing the initial archetypes, which focus on glaucoma, is on the Apperta web site, here:
It is essential that the archetypes developed are fit for purpose and credible, as indicated by their evolution within a formal acceptance and accreditation process. This will be enacted first on the UK openEHR CKM, hosted by Apperta, and then through their publication within the international archetype repository review process, overseen for openEHRInternational by Heather and Silje.
OpenEyes’ industry partner, Toukan Labs, is now contracted to provide the OpenEyes software for 30% of eyecare record keeping across the UK, and there is growing use and profile internationally. It is a huge satisfaction to see the long-term OpenEyes-openEHR alliance bearing fruit in this way. A great Christmas present and another good indication of how specialist electronic health records can now be brought together on the platform of openEHR.
David Ingram