Re: [Op-torch-general] MIE 2005 and EFMI

[Michael A R. M. <mi...@we...>]

Hey Ruslan,

I apologize for not being more prompt in my reply. Just been busy the =20=

last couple of days.  I am the lead developer on the project.    I am =20=

going to try and address some of your questions first.


> Dear Michael and Colleagues,
>
> I would like to request more information regarding the exiting =20
> possibilities to be involved in your beginnings. Sincerely I=92m very =20=

> impressed about your realisations and in parallel I=92m a little =20
> confused - why you aren=92t promoting more actively the TORCH Project.

Well, I have been the lead developer for a little over a year, before =20=

that the project belonged to Tim Cook, who started the project with =20
the original torch 1.3 version.  Since that time, I have rewritten =20
almost every line of code.  I have advocated torch as much as I feel =20
is reasonable, for a project that hasn't released a stable file yet.  =20=

I am happy to accept any help that is offered, the issue is figuring =20
how where and how you can help. :)

> Regarding my candidature (I hope I would be accepted as one =20
> interested and motivated in development guy J ) please allow me at =20
> the moment to be modest, just have a look at my recent project =20
> http://mirc.gsf.de (unfortunately it is not yet Zope/Plone based =20
> one ):

Here is where the problem lies.  We are not organized enough yet to =20
need help with the code source, and zope/plone/archetypes, while much =20=

simpler than some options, do require a good deal of background.  One =20=

of our developers started recently, has experience in Java, C++, and =20
is a professional programmer, and has had a lot of learning to do =20
with zope/plone and archetypes.  So starting out there is a steep =20
learning curve.  Some of the design things, like CSS, skins, =20
documentation, and background activities, we could certianly use help =20=

with also, but I am not sure where to start! :)

I do have a couple of ideas for features I would like to add that you =20=

could certainly help with, like

   1)  There is no FOSS drug reference that I can find, but have had =20
limited time to research.  I would be happy to host such a beast on =20
my server, and allow people to add information, and updates to it.  =20
This would be a great help to us, and the medical community in =20
general.  Plus this is an animal that is designed around a relational =20=

db model.  We could start the initial project with the DB design.  My =20=

vote would go for PostgreSQL, but it doesn't matter a lot.

2) Drug interaction db: I think of this as separate from above, but =20
it is definitely linked.  It is a beast though, as realistically, it =20
needs to include contraindications with medical conditions, and =20
indications with medical conditions.  It should allow us to compare a =20=

prescription to other meds, and to the problem list to flag for =20
possible interactions.

3) I would like to start a project to keep a FOSS ICD-9 db. This is =20
less apropos to you, as it is an Americal beast, I believe it is not =20
used anywhere else.  I envy everywhere else in this. :)  But for =20
american physicians, this would be an excellent opportunity for a =20
FOSS project.  Again, I would be happy to host this.  Any takers are =20
welcome.

> So far I have no feedbacks from my last message; I hope that my =20
> modest request for contribution to the TORCH project will be accepted.
I can only plead that I have been very busy. ;)

> Now I would like to ask the TTORCH community if someone will be =20
> present at the MIE 2005 Conference (http://www.mie2005.net)? If so =20
> please let me know!

I think Jake and I would both love to go to this conference, even if =20
it was just to get a trip to Switzerland. :)  But unfortunately, our =20
primary goal is to get a beta out the door by October.  That is were =20
we will really start being able to involve other people, as we can =20
show what we have done this far, and start working with add ons.   =20
Every day I hope we will be able to put the demo up on the web site =20
(soon to be at www.torchmd.org)

> Supplementary I would like to ask the TORCH developers for a short =20
> article describing your initiatives in order to publish this =20
> article as news on the EFMI Web Portal. Web address of the European =20=

> Federation for Medical Informatics Web Portal I=92ve mentioned in my =20=

> previous e-mail (www.efmi.org or http://mirc.gsf.de).

Wonderful idea, and I will work on this.  I would like to see it on =20
the Linux Med News site, and anywhere we could get the word out.  We =20
will hope to be able to do this by October also.

Let me know what you think about the above.  I look foward to hearing =20=

from you.

Michael Rowley MD
Project Manager
TORCH2
Trusted Open source Records for Care and Health