Longevity

Health records need to last a long time. Sometimes, they exist before a person is born and last well after death.

However, healthcare software is a different matter.

Like all software, there is a lifecycle to its existence. Some companies fail, some grow, and some get acquired by bigger companies. Software tends to last less time than humans.

In the current closed-source EHR world, users and managers of patient data do not have access to the source code. Due to the inseparable tight coupling of patient data record structure to the database used inside the software platform, it becomes challenging to salvage the data in a usable form once the software dies.

GitEHR seeks to separate the clinical record from the software used to view and manage it. It will ensure patient records stand alone, separate from the database structure of any single proprietary software supplier.

Using time-tested, simple technologies - such as flat files, directories, and disks - helps reduce GitEHR's dependence on the latest new and shiny trend. It ensures that once viewing and editing software reaches its inevitable end of life, new software can seamlessly replace the old without affecting clinical care.