About

Mission Statement

To empower seamless healthcare interoperability through an open, community-driven integration engine that is accessible, extensible, and standards-based.

Overview

The Open Integration Engine Project is an open-source initiative dedicated to advancing healthcare interoperability. By building upon the foundation of Mirth Connect, a widely adopted integration engine, this project aims to provide healthcare organizations with a robust, flexible, and cost-effective solution for connecting disparate systems and facilitating efficient data exchange.

Why Open Integration Engine?

  • Open Source Advantage: Leveraging the open-source model ensures transparency, fosters innovation, and allows for collaborative development within the healthcare IT community.​
  • Healthcare Focused: Specifically designed to address the unique challenges of healthcare data integration, supporting standards such as HL7, FHIR, and DICOM.​
  • Extensibility: Offers a modular architecture that allows for easy customization and expansion to meet the evolving needs of healthcare organizations.

Core Features

  • Data Transformation and Mapping: Enables conversion between various data formats (e.g., HL7, JSON, XML) to ensure compatibility across systems
  • Message Routing and Filtering: Directs messages to appropriate destinations based on predefined rules, enhancing workflow efficiency.​
  • Custom Scripting and Connectors: Supports scripting languages like JavaScript for tailored data processing and offers connectors for multiple protocols including HTTP, FTP, and databases.​
  • Real-time Monitoring and Alerts: Provides tools to track message flow and system performance, with alert mechanisms for prompt issue resolution.​

Who It’s For

The Open Integration Engine is designed for a diverse range of healthcare stakeholders, including:​

  • Integration Engineers: Seeking a flexible platform for developing and managing healthcare interfaces.​
  • Health IT Teams: Aiming to streamline data exchange between electronic health records (EHRs), laboratory systems, and other healthcare applications.​
  • EHR Vendors: Looking to enhance their systems’ interoperability capabilities.​
  • Researchers: Needing reliable data integration tools for health informatics studies.​

Project Values

  • Community-Driven Development: Emphasizing collaborative contributions to foster innovation and shared learning.​
  • Vendor Neutrality: Ensuring the engine remains adaptable and free from proprietary constraints.​
  • Security and Compliance: Prioritizing patient data privacy and adherence to healthcare regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR.​

Community and Governance

The project thrives on active participation from the global healthcare IT community. Contributors can engage through our GitHub repository, participate in discussions, report issues, and submit enhancements. Governance is structured to be transparent and inclusive, with decisions made collectively to reflect the community’s best interests.​

History and Roadmap

Originating as a fork of Mirth Connect, The Open Integration Engine Project was initiated to continue the legacy of open-source healthcare integration following Mirth Connect’s transition to a proprietary model. Our roadmap includes:

  • Short-Term Goals: Stabilizing the current codebase, enhancing documentation, and expanding community outreach.​
  • Long-Term Vision: Integrating emerging healthcare standards, improving user experience, and fostering a vibrant ecosystem of plugins and extensions.​

Licensing and Legal

The Open Integration Engine is released under the Mozilla Public License 2.0, ensuring that it remains free and open for use, modification, and distribution. Users are encouraged to review the license to understand their rights and responsibilities.​

Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to the original developers of Mirth Connect for their foundational work, as well as to the broader open-source community whose contributions make this project possible.