[OLPC library] Health application : drug information

[Guylhem Aznar]

Hello

I am finishing a PhD in computer science, for which I received a B4 XO
to work on the visual aspects of written sign languages. But I am also
a medical doctor, and as so I am contacting this list for a totally
different project: offering healthcare professionals up-to-date
information, using an OLPC.

My MD thesis was about drug information systems. I created an easy to
use drug information interface, with the help of a drug database
edited by a non profit organisation, intended for pharmacists. Since I
had access to a B4, I made sure it was working fine on the OLPC as
well - and both nurses and doctors love the new system, which provides
great improvements as compared to existing systems or the
pharmacist-database it was based on. It will soon be offered to the
public on the net.

Now I am exploring possibilities to offer drug information in french
speaking countries on dedicated appliances, for cases where network
access is problematic.

So I would be interested in contacting health professionals from other
french-speaking countries to see if my application can help them (even
with the differences between the french formulary and their national
formularies) and how cost-effective offering that application on an
OLPC could be.

I receive no funding for this effort - until when I was recently
awarded funding by my local medical association, under the condition I
use an Asus eee PC as the test platform locally (because that's what
they are purchasing!).

I haven't accepted such a funding yet : Drug information is sensitive
information. It should not be funded or reliant on any drug maker. For
similar many political reasons, I would prefer to give this
information through an OLPC.

Currently, I am evaluating possibilities to personally fund such an
effort through commercialisation of my software in France, to pay for
the OLPC hardware abroad (like a G1G1 in healthcare). I am negociating
a deal with the non profit organisation to get free licenses of their
database for such an use.

All I need is willing testers, if possible with access to OLPC
hardware, in a clinical setting. I will provide the software, the
training and the assistance.

Any contact or suggestion would be appreciated.  I am especially
interested in Haïti, since I should be moving to Fort De France
(Martinique) as soon as my PhD is finished.

PS : I also have played with the WHO drug formulary for which I made
adaptations to facilitate navigation. It could be useful for
non-french speaking countries.