Creating a global "Linux Medical Team"

[Eric Maeker]

Hi all,

I've added to this post the Debian Med, OpenSuse Medical, Neuro Debian
teams, MedFloss manager and the EFMI LIFOSS WG.
Also created a new thread.

Le 25 novembre 2011 10:24, Simon Slater <pye...@iinet.net.au> a écrit :

> On Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:55:15 Sebastian Hilbert wrote:
>> On Friday, November 25, 2011 02:05:11 AM Simon Slater wrote:
>> > On Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:02:42 susmit shannigrahi wrote:

>> But if you really want to make a difference for healthcare put effort into
>> getting people from different distributions together to share their work.
>> Currently we are duplicating work in Debian-med, Fedora-medical and
>> openSUSE- medical. What a waste of human ressources.

I fully agree to this. We should work together. There are lots of
projects but no (visible) joined effort.
Packaging can be quite different distro to distro but the main work
(package selection, upstream contact and management, configuration
helpers, license analysis...) can be shared.

We can share our competence whatever are our difference (of Linux
distro and project).

>>
> Any common forums existing at the moment?

Not yet already.

As a french MD, open source developper and Linux user I'd like to help
on any work that can lead to a global "Linux Medical Team" effort
(including nurses, dentists, pharmacists...).

Any comment ?

--
Eric Maeker, MD (FR)
http://www.freemedforms.com/
http://www.ericmaeker.fr/

[Eric Maeker]

Le 25 novembre 2011 13:21, Karsten Hilbert <Karsten...@gmx.net> a écrit :

> On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 12:08:38PM +0100, Eric Maeker wrote:
>
>> I've added to this post the Debian Med, OpenSuse Medical, Neuro Debian
>> teams, MedFloss manager and the EFMI LIFOSS WG.
>> Also created a new thread.
>

>> >> Currently we are duplicating work in Debian-med, Fedora-medical and
>> >> openSUSE- medical. What a waste of human ressources.
>

> While I agree the logical and lofty goal would be to create
> a "Linux Medical Taskforce" I also know that doing so will
> not achieve anything tangible.

Not sure, Debian Med is getting bigger and bigger, MedFloss too.
May be we can go one step further !
There are volonteers but they scattered on multiple projects while a
more unifying project can arise.

> I think your FreeDiams prescriber is a perfect example.

One little piece of the edifice only...

[Holger Schmuhl]

On 11/25/11 5:32 PM, Karsten Hilbert wrote:

> On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 05:05:31PM +0100, Eric Maeker wrote:
>
>>> While I agree the logical and lofty goal would be to create
>>> a "Linux Medical Taskforce" I also know that doing so will
>>> not achieve anything tangible.
>>
>> Not sure, Debian Med is getting bigger and bigger, MedFloss too.
>> May be we can go one step further !
>> There are volonteers but they scattered on multiple projects while a
>> more unifying project can arise.
>

> What would be the precise, medically relevant goal of this project ?

I fully agree with Eric and would question if we would need a clearly
defined medical relevant goal for this endeavor.

First of all I would propose a more general working title: "Free and
Open Source Medical Taskforce". Do we just want to limit our
collaborative efforts to Linux? Also not-so-free OS can run great FLOSS
software and they are still the most widely used in health care.

Is the scope of the task force primarily packaging? Or has it a wider
definition?

For packaging I tried to provide at least some help through
Medfloss.org. Per project you can specify if it is available through a
Linux distro. Out of this a list is created that shows all projects at
Medfloss.org that are not yet available through a specific distribution:
Debian (http://www.medfloss.org/node/350), Fedora
(http://www.medfloss.org/node/351), OpenSUSE
(http://www.medfloss.org/node/352).

Not sure if you could think of Medfloss.org of being extended in such a
way that it will support better and more effectively any packaging
efforts. At least I can state that I would be more than open for any
suggestions and willing to provide direct support or help others to get
the features they want in Medfloss.org.

What would be the data that shall be available through a central forum
or information space?

Cheers,

Holger

>
> Without one it'd be useless.
>
> Karsten

[Eric Maeker]

Le 25 novembre 2011 17:32, Karsten Hilbert <Karsten...@gmx.net> a écrit :
> On Fri, Nov 25, 2011 at 05:05:31PM +0100, Eric Maeker wrote:
>

>> > While I agree the logical and lofty goal would be to create
>> > a "Linux Medical Taskforce" I also know that doing so will
>> > not achieve anything tangible.
>>
>> Not sure, Debian Med is getting bigger and bigger, MedFloss too.
>> May be we can go one step further !
>> There are volonteers but they scattered on multiple projects while a
>> more unifying project can arise.
>

> What would be the precise, medically relevant goal of this project ?
>

> Without one it'd be useless.

The very basic reflexion can be the following.

This kind of project involves a too heterogeneous population that we
need to precised in more details. I propose two very simple dichotomy:

* The first dichotomy:
- the end user
- the developper

* In user/developper we have another dichotomy :
- working in a (or for a) medical area
- not working in a (or for a) medical area

This lead to four profiles that have different needs and wishes.

[Eric MAEKER]

Le 25 nov. 2011 à 20:11, Holger Schmuhl a écrit :

> Free and Open Source Medical Taskforce

Hello,

I propose the creation of a common mailing list such as "Free and Open Source Medical Taskforce <opensour...@XXX.XX>" where all teamsdistro, and other open source medical webportal (medfloss, linuxmednews...) are automatically subscribed.

List that can be registered in each portal of each teams and also here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_healthcare_software

To ensure its visibility.

This list can be the central place to discuss the common tasks of our different projects, like:
- medical or related projects to include/reject...,
- common reviewing of apps,
- licensing problems around some projects,
- upstream contact,
- central information about new release and version (may be package too)
...

I suggest someone to take the management of this list. The "manager" will be the one who contact each upstream of our medicals&related project to subscribe and discuss. If no one wants this role, I can take it.

That should not be that hard to do and can be a good start to any collaboration.

Ideas ? Comments ? Suggestions ? Oppositions ?

Thanks
-----
Eric Maeker, MD (Fr)
http://www.freemedforms.com
http://www.ericmaeker.fr

[Stephanie "Ace" Medlock]

Hi Eric and efmi-lifoss,

It sounds like a good idea to me. If we start getting a lot of lists
and a lot of emails, we may need a "list of lists" where people can
subscribe to lists with their specific interests. Right now, though, I
think all the lists together will not generate too many emails.

I say do it, and let me know how to sign up!

- ace

[Thomas Karopka]

Hi Eric,

great idea! Please go ahead.

I think it would be very nice to foster communication among the FLOSS in health care community. We have tried this in the EFMI LIFOSS WG and the IMIA OS WG. We now have a mailing list at MedFLOSS.org, but there was hardly any interest in signing up.
However, any attempt is very welcome and we are more than happy to participate.

Best regards,
Thomas

2011/12/15 Eric MAEKER <eric....@gmail.com>

[Philippe Ameline]

Hi to all,

We tend to being overflowed by mailing lists. Wouldn't it be better to keep on with existing list and to fork only if dedicated message flow becomes too large ?

My 2 cents,

Philippe