Dear Subscriber First Name,

Greetings from the Bahmni Team!

We hope this newsletter finds you well. This is the first edition of the Bahmni newsletter series. As always, we are committed to improving Bahmni, the open-source Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) designed for hospitals and clinics in low-resource settings. Here’s the latest news from the Bahmni ecosystem!

If you would like to get in touch with us, please email us or fill out this form and we’ll get back to you.

Bahmni Implementation Survey

We’re teaming up with the OpenMRS team to better understand where and how Bahmni and OpenMRS are being used globally. If you’re part of a Bahmni implementation, please take a few minutes to complete the survey. Your inputs will help us better understand and support our community!

Product Updates

Bahmni Standard 1.0.1 Release

Bahmni Standard v1.0.1 has been released, incorporating a fully dockerized infrastructure for simplified deployment and cloud compatibility, significant security enhancements, and interoperability improvements. This release introduces novel functionalities such as In-Patient Dashboard, Ward Dashboard, teleconsultation capability, SMS/WhatsApp/email notification services, alongside enhanced FHIR conformity. Further updates comprise Odoo 16 Long-Term Support (LTS), Metabase for data analytics, SNOMED-CT integration, and MySQL 8.0 support. Moreover, this release includes refinements to the Appointments and Operating Theatre (OT) modules, improved localization support, and advanced monitoring and logging functionalities.

New AI plugin integrations: Medispeak and Intellidoctor

Bahmni now integrates with two speech-to-text plugins, Medispeak and Intellidoctor. It enables users to leverage speech-to-text for recording patient consultations, and write prescriptions. Watch the demo video or read the integration guide for the Medispeak plugin.

Bahmni Roadmap 2025

Key themes for our 2025 Roadmap are:

• Security and Integration: OAuth/OIDC integration highlights the importance of improved security and easier integration with external systems.

• Standardization and Consistency: The Postgres upgrade aims to unify versions and improve consistency across different applications within Bahmni Standard. There's a focus on upgrading existing components (OpenMRS, Postgres) and enhancing functionalities (OpenELIS with lab ranges, Bahmni Lite with upgrades).

Community Updates

Community Engagements

• Multiple community sessions were held throughout the period covering different topics surrounding Bahmni Standard.

• Over 528 Jira tickets were closed thanks to the contributions from the community.

• The Kathmandu University Open Source Community (KUOSC) held an event on Bahmni to improve its awareness in Nepal. They also contributed to Bahmni translations in the Nepali language.

Recognitions

• Bahmni won the Future of Government Awards in 2024

• Bahmni was represented at the SNOMED CT Expo 2024 in Seoul

• Bahmni is the first open-source EHR to be ABDM certified. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is India’s national digital health interoperability infrastructure. Read more here.

• Bahmni is also featured on the ABDM sandbox website as a reference application integrated with ABDM HIECM/FHR.

• The Koita Foundation, with support from the Maharashtra University of Health Science, recently launched a Digital Health Foundation Course to equip medical students and healthcare professionals with the core knowledge and skills needed to use digital health applications. Bahmni is being used as the reference application for the course.

Implementation News

This time, we bring you two successful Bahmni implementations, both from Cameroon. 🇨🇲

Laquintinie Hospital, Douala, Cameroon

Established in 1931, the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala is one of the largest hospitals in Cameroon with more than 700 beds. It plays a crucial role in addressing various health challenges faced by the local population, particularly in the context of infectious diseases and chronic health conditions.

Medical doctors, nurses, and other health personnel are using Bahmni for care and treatment in the hospital.

St Jean de Malte Hospital, Njombé, Cameroon

Hôpital Saint Jean de Malte was established in 1994. It is located on the Haut Penja plateau, 80km from Douala, Cameroon's economic capital. The hospital's primary mission is to provide health care for the population of Njombe-Penja and, more broadly, the Moungo basin. It complements the health services provided by the district's dispensaries.

It is one of the best-equipped medical establishments in the region, with a multi-purpose care offering, a high-level technical platform and a 24/7 emergency service.

Bahmni was extended at St. Jean de Malt in collaboration with Laquintinie.

CURE International

CURE International is a nonprofit network of children’s hospitals across Africa and the Philippines, which provides free surgical care for children with disabilities. CURE’s work is focused on enabling children to lead full and active lives, and often means patients gain acceptance within their communities for the first time.

The new enhanced Bahmni implemented across CURE’s hospitals enabled electronic prescriptions, lab and radiology requests, better handling of patient appointments and an enhanced in-patient module.

Join the Community

We encourage you to share your insights and collaborate with our community. You can connect with us through the following channels:

1. Community Forums: Join discussions on the OpenMRS Talk Forum to share your observations, ask questions, and provide feedback.

2. Slack Channels: Engage with the community on the Bahmni Slack.

3. Weekly PAT Calls: Participate in weekly Product Architecture Team (PAT) calls every Wednesday at 1:00 PM UTC (06:30 PM IST) on Zoom. This is an opportunity to discuss development updates, share your experiences, and contribute to ongoing projects.

Your input and collaboration are invaluable to us as we strive to improve and expand the Bahmni platform.