Hello,
We are starting a 501c3 non-profit foundation to advance
FOSS in healthcare. Here is our "mission statement":
To improve the quality of healthcare through the advancement of Free
and Open Source Medical Software. The Free Medical Software Foundation
will encourage the use of Free and Open Source software by sponsoring
development, education and Health IT initiatives.
So far this is a project that both I and Ignacio Valdes
have committed to. In order to make the FMSF as transparent as
possible, Ignacio and I will be taking public nominations for Board of
Directors and Board of Advisers positions. We have already invited
people we know we want to be involved in the BOD, and we will
potentially pass on nominations without giving any reasons for doing
so. However, we want the communities input even at this initial stage.
For all BOD and BOA members, we have a preference for either technical
expertise, or clinical expertise. We also strongly prefer 'do'ers to
'talk'ers. We like short meetings.
BOD members: Must be committed to the FOSS health software movement as
a whole, as opposed to being associated strongly with a particular
project or company. We hope that the BOD members will be well-known
community members who instantly command respect. BOD members will get
a formal vote on the actions of FMSF.
BOA members: Are committed to the advancement of a particular project
or effort within the community. We will be inviting people who are
associated with either proprietary and FOSS companies, but who are
making a significant contribution to health FOSS in some fashion. BOA
will not get a vote on the actions of FMSF.
Now, I am sure many of you will wonder "What exactly should this
organization do?" or "Is this organization in competition with
organization X?" I have specific answers to none of those types of
questions. Ignacio and I have several initiatives that are critically
important to the community that do not work well without a non-profit
behind them. We will be supporting and/or hosting conferences. We will
pursing funding for the purposes of sponsoring development on
important projects. Besides that, we want to have an organization that
can be used to scratch our collective FOSS in healthcare itch. What
else that will mean will depend in large part on who you suggest as
BOD members.
So, this is not an opportunity to discuss what the FMSF will be doing,
as much as who gets to make that decision. In short, who does the
community at large trust. Who represents our communities ideals and
values? Who would therefore make a good BOD member? What projects are
important enough that we should invite their community members
specifically to the BOA?
Feel free to nominate or volunteer now. Please give some detail on why
you would make a good candidate.
--
Fred Trotter
http://www.fredtrotter.com
