Open App Challenge, Patent Wars, and more

...As the first part of a new $1 million Health Innovation Program, Allscripts, a US-based health care firm has announced an Open App Challenge which asks developers and vendors to to “Start a Revolution” by creating and integrating applications that become an extension of Allscripts’ Open Electronic Health Records software...Other health IT firms are working to build innovation and draw funding in similarly open source ways. Health Tech Hatch (HTH), a seed money and development platform for health IT entrepreneurs, announced its launch yesterday, and will provide crowd funding, prototype testing and mentorship for burgeoning health IT projects...

However, not all firms in the space are taking quite such open approaches – MMRGlobal, another US based health care company recently announced the expansion of its patented suite of electronic health care tools. The announcement is notable as patent wars have been an ongoing issue in the broader IT community for several years, with some developers arguing that the rush to patent actually limits technological innovation and can increase costs, while others see patents as a means of ensuring profitability. An interesting and telling phrase was included in the announcement, “the MMR patent portfolio is believed to be relevant to virtually any provider who transmits electronic health records in that it will limit their ability to communicate protected health information without potentially infringing on MMR’s patents.” In essence, anyone operating in this space may be obligated to establish a vendor relationship with MMR lest they draw the wrath of its patent enforcers.

Indeed, MMR President and CEO Robert H. Lorsch, is open about his plan on this score, “we have invested heavily in the development of our patent portfolio and are now positioned to reap the benefits of such investment by compelling doctors, pharmacies, insurance providers, electronic medical record providers and other healthcare professionals to choose negotiating a license with us for the use of our intellectual property or face potential infringement actions...