Comments on: Open source principles applied to medicine. http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:54:12 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Daniel http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1260 Daniel Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:24:45 +0000 http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1260 Openness and Security There is a difference between security and vulnerability. A difference between the need for openness, honesty and the need for private confidentiality. It seems that "Open Source" is about development delivery of services, solutions and products in an "open" honest manner. Just because some solutions, applications in the medical field are developed and even delivered using open source principles does not also mean that a personal data and medical information is also "open" There are sufficient security measures that can be taken to implement open source principles in the medical field and still keep personal data and medical information private. Openness and Security

There is a difference between security and vulnerability.
A difference between the need for openness, honesty and the need for private confidentiality.

It seems that “Open Source” is about development delivery of services, solutions and products in an “open” honest manner.

Just because some solutions, applications in the medical field are developed and even delivered using open source principles does not also mean that a personal data and medical information is also “open”

There are sufficient security measures that can be taken to implement open source principles in the medical field and still keep personal data and medical information private.

]]> By: Ignacio Valdes, MD, MS http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1259 Ignacio Valdes, MD, MS Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:03:50 +0000 http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1259 Free and Open Source have been in progress in medicine for quite a while and in some ways pre-date the FOSS movement at the Veterans Affairs hospital system. Look for the American Medical Informatics Association Free/Open Source white paper which I authored in a week or so. There's also Linux Medical News http://www.linuxmednews.com which has been around for 8 years. Free and Open Source have been in progress in medicine for quite a while and in some ways pre-date the FOSS movement at the Veterans Affairs hospital system. Look for the American Medical Informatics Association Free/Open Source white paper which I authored in a week or so. There’s also Linux Medical News http://www.linuxmednews.com which has been around for 8 years.

]]> By: seven http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1258 seven Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:21:18 +0000 http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1258 In other words, you make it so that even if someone gains your health information, they can not legally use it to slander you, decrease you, or diminish you in any way. That should keep people from using to hurt each other, because if you don't, they will use it to hurt each other, or make money off each others suffering. In other words, you make it so that even if someone gains your health information, they can not legally use it to slander you, decrease you, or diminish you in any way. That should keep people from using to hurt each other, because if you don’t, they will use it to hurt each other, or make money off each others suffering.

]]> By: seven http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1257 seven Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:15:25 +0000 http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1257 This is nothing but a push to make it socially acceptable for people to post your health records without your consent. The problem with this idea? It creates bias unequivocally. Now your employer can decide against hiring you because you have X disease or disorder. Unless there are protections put in place that favor the individuals rights, this will be a mistake. Discrimination will start occurring because of family medical history. Not only that, they will start using your medical information to determine your worth. If they know you have a life shortening condition, they can dump you and leave you jobless with no recourse for rehiring. You see the downside of this? I do support this, but only with ABSOLUTE protection and guarantee to the individual that they can not be discriminated against in any way, shape, or form. This is nothing but a push to make it socially acceptable for people to post your health records without your consent. The problem with this idea? It creates bias unequivocally. Now your employer can decide against hiring you because you have X disease or disorder. Unless there are protections put in place that favor the individuals rights, this will be a mistake. Discrimination will start occurring because of family medical history. Not only that, they will start using your medical information to determine your worth. If they know you have a life shortening condition, they can dump you and leave you jobless with no recourse for rehiring. You see the downside of this? I do support this, but only with ABSOLUTE protection and guarantee to the individual that they can not be discriminated against in any way, shape, or form.

]]> By: naglal http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1256 naglal Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:56:37 +0000 http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1256 I fully agree with Chris's comments above. I fully agree with Chris’s comments above.

]]> By: chris http://truthhappens.redhat.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1255 chris Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:04:21 +0000 http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2008/10/20/open-source-principles-applied-to-medicine/#comment-1255 This is not "open source" applied to medicine, this is "open personal information" applied to medicine. Open source ideas would be sharing technologies for treatments, etc and NOT holding them back for business reasons. THAT I do support, however I am NOT fond of this idea - I see every patient's privacy in great danger. If it's opt-in - like "Do you want to make these specific test results of yours available to research facility XYZ", I'm fine. But I don't see how you could possibly keep personal data (as a person's health records are) confidential while making them open sou... oops, I mean "open data". What about the civil right for privacy? This is not “open source” applied to medicine, this is “open personal information” applied to medicine. Open source ideas would be sharing technologies for treatments, etc and NOT holding them back for business reasons. THAT I do support, however I am NOT fond of this idea – I see every patient’s privacy in great danger. If it’s opt-in – like “Do you want to make these specific test results of yours available to research facility XYZ”, I’m fine. But I don’t see how you could possibly keep personal data (as a person’s health records are) confidential while making them open sou… oops, I mean “open data”.
What about the civil right for privacy?

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