Introduction

The OpenELIS Global software is an open enterprise-level laboratory information system built on open source web-based technologies that has been tailored for low-and-middle income country public health laboratories.

The software serves as both an effective laboratory software solution and business process framework. It supports the effective functioning of public health laboratories for best laboratory practice and accreditation.

A Global LIS Laboratory Information System for Global Health

The global health version of OpenELIS Global builds on the foundation provided by the original US Public Health Lab version of OpenELIS Global. Our challenge is to provide the flexibility demanded by different laboratories while maintaining a common code base. Some examples:

Some laboratories refer to the number attached to the sample as an accession number while others refer to it as a laboratory number.

• End user computer literacy can not be assumed.

• Phone number formats vary country by country.

• The number and kind of patient identifiers varies by country and type of laboratory.

• Required patient demographics may depend on why a test is being requested.

• Address fields are country dependent.

• And many more…

Our goal in meeting these challenges is to ensure that the code does not become fractured by each variation in requirements. We have so far been successful and all of the implementations differ only by configuration files. Designed to support quality laboratory services and test results from high volume clinical and reference laboratories.

The work is done in partnership with International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH). They provide a wide perspective on the background, goals and collaborators of the work being done worldwide. For specifics of I-TECH’s work in two countries where OpenELIS Global is being implemented: I-TECH in Haiti, I-TECH in Côte d’Ivoire.