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This is a collection of frequently asked questions regarding the openIMIS software as well as the global initiative.

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When was openIMIS created?
When was openIMIS created?
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What is the openIMIS initiative?

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OP:Value Proposition of the openIMIS Initiative
OP:Value Proposition of the openIMIS Initiative
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 Click here for more information.

How much does it cost to implement openIMIS?

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Is the software modifiable/ adaptable?
Is the software modifiable/ adaptable?
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What is an open-source software?

Wikipedia defines Open-source software as "a type of computer software in which source code is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to study, change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose." In openIMIS's case, the copyright holder is the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and they allow anyone  to redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU AGPL v3 License.

In addition to the license agreement, and the ability to modify and redistribute it freely, open-source software is a collaborative effort among a community of users, implementers, and software developers. These communities share their experiences, discuss new features, functionalities for the software, and ultimately provide direction to the future development of the software. You can find more information about the openIMIS community here.

What do I need to become an openIMIS user?

There are no pre-defined requirements to use openIMIS. Please feel free to move around this wiki and learn about the software and the community, or try out the software functionalities from the demo, or join the weekly calls of the implementers' committee. If you are a developer and you want to start looking into the code and find ways in which you can build on the existing functionality, please visit the GitHub repository and join the developers' committee. 

Is openIMIS free?

The openIMIS software, including the source code, is free. It can be downloaded from the GitHub repository. When implementing openIMIS, you will incur costs for deploying the software (server costs), and for required hardware at health facilities, and the scheme operator. Additional funds will be required for user training and regular maintenance of the software.

What are the additional costs to consider when using openIMIS?

Some examples of additional costs to consider when using openIMIS is given below. The extent of these additional costs will very much depend on the size and scale of the implementation.

  • Customization costs
    1. Depending on the functionalities, beyond what the latest version of openIMIS currently offers, required for your implementation of openIMIS, costs for software development will be incurred. The extent of the costs is solely dependent on the nature and extent of customization required.
    • Server hosting costsEither Virtual server (recurring cost) OR dedicated physical server (one-time cost)
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  • Server maintenance costs (for dedicated physical server)
  • Operating System License cost (currently, openIMIS requires atleast Microsoft Server 2012. We are working tirelessly to remove this dependency on openIMIS; you can find more details here).
  • Database server costs (depending on the size of implementation, a fully licensed version of Microsoft SQL Server may be required. We are working tirelessly to remove this dependency on openIMIS; you can find more details here).
  • Server redundancy and backup costs.
  • Size of the server depends on the estimated size and scale of implementation
  • Costs for computer hardware
    1. At health facilities (a mix of smartphones and computers).
      1. Android phone running Android Oreo or beyond
      2. A computer capable of running a web-browser
      3. The number of phones and computers required depends on the size and scale of implementation.
    2. At scheme operator
      1. Computers capable of running a web-browser
      2. The number of computers required depends on the size and scale of implementation.
  • Internet Connection
    1. 24x7 internet connection (plus backup connection) required at the openIMIS server hosting location and at scheme operator offices.
    2. Stable internet connection at health facilities. openIMIS has offline capabilities for times where the internet is not available at health facilities or at the community level.
  • User training
    1. Training of Trainers (ToT)
    2. User training for various business processes:
      1. Enrolment
      2. Health service utilization
      3. Claim management
      4. Data analysis and use
    3. The number of training depends on the size and scale of implementation.

    • Is my data safe?

    Yes. We take care to ensure that the openIMIS software is free of security-related issues and that all required measures to ensure the safety of data are in place. However, there is an added layer of security that you are responsible for during implementation. As you implement openIMIS, you will need to install and host the software on either a virtual or physical server. You should ensure that the server you choose to host openIMIS on has the required security measures in place.

    In terms of access to data, the openIMIS initiative will never have access to any data from your implementation of openIMIS.

    Where is my data collected?

    As you implement openIMIS, you will need to install and host the software on either a virtual or physical server. This server(s) is where your data will be stored. You have full control over who has access to the data.

    Can the software be re-sold?

    Absolutely not. The license agreement prohibits the re-selling of openIMIS. 

    Who can use the software?

    The software is free to download and use to anyone. The general use-case is a health financing scheme operator such as a regional/national health funds manager or Ministry of Health implementing openIMIS to manage a provider payment mechanism. This includes enrolling beneficiaries, collecting contributions, verifying membership, and the management and processing of claims - all digitally. However, the use of the software is not limited to these general use-cases! Feel free to explore the software at our GitHub repository and try out new implementation scenarios.

    How can the software be used?

    The general use-case is a health financing scheme operator such as a regional/national health funds manager or Ministry of Health implementing openIMIS to manage a provider payment mechanism. This includes enrolling beneficiaries, collecting contributions, verifying membership, and the management and processing of claims - all digitally. However, the use of the software is not limited to these general use-cases! Feel free to explore the software at our GitHub repository and try out new implementation scenarios.

    Is the software modifiable/ adaptable?

    Yes. The license for openIMIS allows for free modification and adaptation to the software. To ease the modifications process, full technical documentation is provided along with the source code.

    Technical infos

    What is the technical stack needed for openIMIS?

    What is the timeline of the implementation of openIMIS?

    How long does implementation last?

    Question from a student  to be answered by Saurav:

    We are currently working to adopt OpenIMIS in one of practical session in our university curriculum and we would like to know is there any offline version of OpenIMIS that we can used and modified for the purpose of student learning experience .

    Licensing


    --- removed because the questions are answered in a general way above –---

    Country specific questions

    /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/717848608

    /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/717258818

    /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/717717573

    /wiki/spaces/KB/pages/717717569

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