Vitagroup's open-source platform EHRbase has attracted more than 400 active subscribers in just five months. The rapid growth underscores the increasing global interest in open, interoperable digital healthcare infrastructures. EHRbase enables developers, healthcare institutions and start-ups to build innovative applications on a standardized and future-proof data structure.
According to Dr. Birger Haarbrandt, Head of Technology Advisory & Consulting at vitagroup, the success of EHRbase indicates a clear shift toward a “data-first” approach. “Structure in clinical data is at the heart of digital transformation in healthcare. Thanks to our open source platform, different parties can develop applications on one shared data foundation.”
Benefits of open platforms
EHRbase is based on openEHR, an open standard for electronic health records. According to Dr. Ian McNicoll, CEO of freshEHR and director of the openEHR Foundation, the platform offers two major benefits: it accelerates the adoption of innovations and gives healthcare organizations complete control over their data models. “New innovations such as pharmacogenetics can easily be supported by model-driven customizations, without the need for additional database or API engineering.”
Whereas traditional EHR systems often require major technical modifications for new data types, EHRbase enables fast and flexible customization. Healthcare organizations can customize their own data models, a role previously held by vendors.
A diverse user base
EHRbase's more than 400 subscribers operate in countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, the Nordics and the Netherlands. The platform is used by:
- Digital healthcare developers and system architects
- Hospitals testing new healthcare IT infrastructure
- Start-ups with a focus on patient care and care coordination
- Public health organizations exploring open standards
Applications range from education and proof-of-concepts to app development.
Future-oriented support
To further encourage the use of openEHR, vitagroup is hosting a series of four webinars starting this summer. These live sessions will provide both an introduction to openEHR and practical tools for working with EHRbase. In doing so, vitagroup is helping a new generation of healthcare technology builders get started with open, structured and future-oriented clinical data.
