Hello Javi and Peter,
I shall be very happy to collaborate and help in this.
Regards,Bonson Sebastian MampilliMy LinkedIn
My Google Scholar
On Monday, 3 May, 2021, 11:28:56 pm IST, Javi Roman
<jroman.espi...@gmail.com> wrote:
On Mon, May 3, 2021 at 6:37 PM Peter Abramowitsch <pabramowit...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hi Javi,
>
> I'm a long term ctakes user and contributor who has worked in various
> professional, incubator, and standards-creating environments for
> healthcare. I like your idea in theory, but I see an on-the-ground issue
> with a specific health oriented section of Apache - and that is a lack of
> content. Unless I have missed something, cTakes is the only mature Apache
> project in this space - it is not as if there are a set of domain-related
> projects in this space waiting to be promoted.
>
With lesser software there are foundations that are putting the focus on
health [1] , to promote the association and join forces in something as
laudable as health. My original idea is based on public movements in Europe
for the promotion of Big Data and health [2]. If we take into account that
innovation in Big Data is in the open source and also the main organization
in Big Data is the ASF, this together with a really important project
focused on health (Apache cTAKES + Apache UIMA + Apache OpenNLP).
[1] https://www.lfph.io/
[2] https://www.bigmedilytics.eu/
> There would also be something materially different about a Healthcare
> specific component of Apache - which is not to say it isn't a valid idea,
> but it is worth discussion. The difference is that most all of the
> projects in Apache are embedded in the information technology domain and
> its challenges - storage, search, management, presentation etc - but tend
> to be agnostic with regard to the information content over which the Apache
> technology is implemented.
>
> Health, on the other hand is its own specific domain, so the tasks,
> problems, and solutions here are not just about creation, transport and
> presentation of health related information, but what the information
> actually is, how it is used, and by whom. Here we're talking about
> clinical informatics and a host of other information spaces that require
> very high levels of experience and understanding that are tangential to the
> problems of system infrastructure.
>
I agree that healthcare is a very specialized field with issues beyond pure
infrastructure technology. But infrastructure is an enabler for
researchers, scientists and users. One of the ideas I propose (and I'm not
saying it has to be done, but I think it's good to discuss it) is how a set
of ASF technologies can give complete solutions focused on health. It's not
just medical records processing, there is a lot in healthcare today that
can be modernized (at least in the healthcare system I know).
>
> If I could invent an analogy... A lot of Apache's software is probably
> being used in the logistics domain, warehousing, supply chain
> optimization, package deliveries and such, but would that be a reason to
> create an Apache shipping and delivery software presence?
>
This could be the beginning of similar initiatives, what's wrong with that?
It is a way to promote ASF projects, with a different approach: How
different technologies can be integrated to provide solutions to societal
needs, how open source breaks new ground and catalyzes innovation in all
sectors.
>
> So this is my hesitation about endorsing a Health initiative at the
> moment. As I've said, it would be a wonderful idea, but the cart is
> somewhat before the horse in my opinion. More localized and feasible
> might be a cTakes user group that goes beyond just this email address.
>
Thank you very much for your comments Peter, I think this is an exciting
topic, and the principle can be a place to discuss these ideas, by way of
exploration. It may come to nothing in the end, or something interesting
may come out of it, but who knows, I would try something new.
>
> Regards
> Peter
>
