OpenVista

=**Term: OpenVistA**=

**Description:**
OpenVistA is a derivative of Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA). VistA is an information system built around electronic health records (EHR) used by the Veterans Health Administration. VistA is one of the most widely used EHR systems in the world and has been proven to improve patient care quality by reducing medical errors and ensuring that clinicians can easily access patient information. this is possible because OpenVistA is an open-source variation of VistA intended to provide better quality, higher reliability, lower cost and more flexibility.

Open source is a development method for software that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. The promise of open source is better quality, higher reliability, more flexibility, lower cost, and an end to predatory vendor lock-in. The Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit corporation formed to educate about and advocate for the benefits of open source and to build bridges among different constituencies in the open source community.
 * Open Source:**

VistA is widely believed to be the largest integrated HIS in the world. It was originally developed and maintained by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), based on the systems software architecture and implementation methodology developed by the U.S. Public Health Service jointly with the National Bureau of Standards. It is designed to provide a high-quality medical care environment for the country's military veterans. VistA has a proven track record of supporting a large variety of clinical settings and medical delivery systems.VistA is in production today at hundreds of healthcare facilities across the country from small outpatient clinics to large medical centers. The software is currently used by the Indian Health Service and a number of other healthcare organizations around the world.
 * Possible Applications:**

Graphics

Why is this good? Allowing experianced programmers to work in collaboration can result in systems that are balanced.


 * Web Resources:**
 * []
 * Related Terminology:**
 * VistA
 * WorldVistA


 * Citations/References:**
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