Mobile
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This overview of mobile tools that interact with OpenMRS is intended as a resource for implementers who may be interested in using such tools. If you are developing or innovating with mobile devices and want to share ideas, check out the Mobile Work Group.
Note :
The mobile tools on this page use various methods for exchanging data with OpenMRS. A majority of these tools use the ?XForms Module. Attendees of a mobile break out session at the 2009 OpenMRS implementers meeting agreed that using the XForms module to integrate various mobile tools to with OpenMRS would be a good way to collaborate.
Table of Contents - click links to navigate
mOpenMRS (mobile OpenMRS)
General need/use case: mOpenMRS was developed using the existing OpenXData mobile client listed below on this page. The original system was modified to suit the needs of IRD for supporting the MDR-TB DOTS program in Karachi IRD. This system was developed using the OpenXData mobile client which enables forms-based data collection on Java enabled phones such as Nokia 2700. The system incorporates new features such as personalized data for each treatment supporter that visits a patient and handles data at a more granular level by linking the users with cohorts assigned to them. mopenMRS has simplified settings and hides the connectivity details from the end user contained by the previous application. Limits the treatment supporter to only the patients he is assigned to for privacy reasons. It also removes searching on Server for patients not assigned to the treatment supporter.
How it works:
Enter URL in the Settings screen in the following format: http://www.ServerAddressHere/openmrs
eg http://122.234.244.132:8088/openmrs.
Treatment supporter logs in the system
Cohorts are downloaded
Patients are downloaded
Patients Forms are downloaded
Patients are searched
Form(s) related to the patient are filled
Forms are uploaded
Encounters are uploaded and can be viewed by providers using
Note: Currently cohorts are mapped with users based on the cohort name. Therefore the cohort name has to be the same as the user name. Eg, user 'peter' would have only see cohort also called 'peter'
The data is exchanged with the server using Xforms module built by Daniel Kaiwa (who developed the initial OpenXData-OpenMRS application)
Implementation Details: For the treatment of TB patients we follow the internationally recognised and followed method of Directly Observed Therapy. In DOT a trained treatment supporter administers the dose to a TB patient and watches the patient take it. This is then recorded everyday along with other very important information such as side effects, any noticeable changes in patient's contacts (immediate family such as parents, spouse, etc). In the mobile application's pilot implementation we provided 3 treatment supporters Nokia 2710NE cell phones with the OpenMRS mobile application pre-installed. The mobile implementation or mOpenMRS allows quick reporting and enables the providers to view the patient status on the browser window when they log into OpenMRS. The mobile application allows treatment supporters to download cohorts (group of patients assigned to each treatment supporter), download forms and upload filled forms to the server. More can be found on this Google Group ict4chw
Pre-requisites:
OpenMRS Version 1.5
XForms module (used and tested with 3.7.9)
J2ME enabled phones
Cost: Open source
Download: projects:JAR File, projects:JAD file
Future Work/ Enhancements
Remove dependency on cohort name and user name by introducing link table in the database for making the cohort-user mapping.
Incorporate GPS
Known Issues
1) Some* *incorrect URLs can make the application download for a long time without giving proper error
2) System allows users to download forms when they click on a Patients details field and also from the main menu by clicking 'Download Forms'. Kindly use the later method since the first one doesn't work correctly.
Where to find additional information:
omar.ahmed@irdresearch.org
FrontlineSMS:Medic
General need/use case: We focus on long tail use cases. In other words, we work to make everything dirt cheap and dead simple. Our system enables forms-based data collection on cheap java enabled phones when only SMS (not GPRS) is available. Also used for coordinating house visits - for example OMRS generates a list of patients who missed their appointments, and blasts an SMS to the health worker nearest to each patient, asking them to follow up with a house visit.
How it works: Data collected on forms on the phone, sent to health facility via SMS where it is received by the FrontlineSMS software. This software translates the forms to XForms which are submitted to OpenMRS via the Xforms module. Also coordinating health workers with plain text (not form based) SMS.
Costs: $25 and up for phones. $80-200 for modem to connect computer to mobile signal, can also send bulk SMS via Internet gateway. Server software can be installed on server that runs OpenMRS or most computers. Utilizes SMS for broadest reach, but can transmit data via GRPS to reduce costs. Internet is not required. Software is free and open source.
Expertise Required: FrontlineSMS is quite simple compared to OpenMRS, installation on windows, linux, or Mac is simple and takes less than 5 minutes for someone who is computer literate but not a software developer. Sharing forms between FrontlineSMS and an existing installation of OpenMRS should be feasible for non-developers in late 2009 or early 2010.
Current Implementations: The FrontlineSMS platform is used at dozens of implementations across six continent, concentrated in Africa. Integration with OpenMRS is a relatively new project, first implementation (currently underway) involves 130 phone wielding community health workers at St Gabriel's Hospital, which serves about 250,000 people in rural Malawi.
Where to find additional Information: The FrontlineSMS:Medic website, or contact Field Director Isaac Holeman.
ChildCount+/RapidSMS
General need/use case: This is a community health worker information system built upon the RapidSMS framework, but being co-developed by Columbia University and UNICEF. The Millennium Villages Project needed a way to monitor children in particular, but entire villages more generally, for nutrition, malaria and other illnesses. The need was to have this data be incorporated into OpenMRS so that there is continuity and interoperability and that referrals between the home and clinic can be managed.
How it works: Structured text messages (SMS) on the phone is used to send information to the ChildCount+ server. Information from there is passed via Xforms to the Xform module within OpenMRS. Unique IDs are generated from OpenMRS using the IDGEN module and these are used to identify the patients between the systems.
Costs: $25 and up for phones. $80-200 for modem to connect computer to mobile signal. Server software can be installed on server that runs OpenMRS or most computers. Internet is not required. Software is free and open source.
Expertise Required: ChildCount+ is relatively simple to configure. Written in Python and object-oriented, installation on windows, linux, or Mac is relatively easy.
Current Implementations: The RapidSMS platform is used in many places, but the integration with OpenMRS is via the Millennium Global Village-Network and the Millennium Villages Project. Currently operational in Uganda and Kenya, the system is being rolled out to most of the 14 MVP sites in sub-Saharan Africa.
Where to find additional Information: The ChildCount website, or contact Matt Berg at mlberg@gmail.com.
PicoRosa
General need/use case: PicoRosa can be used for many of the use cases above, and can also send pictures. It is particularly useful when integrated with Google maps, as pioneered by IRD in Karachi, Pakistan.
How it works: