The standards based, open source, personal health record represents both an opportunity to make the power of health IT accessible to every individual anywhere and to avoid the fragmentation of medical records as low resource settings begin to adopt health information systems.The goal of the project is to create a mobile extension of a proven PHR, MyOSCAR, based on the successful Indivo open source project and establish an affordable, ubiqutous mobile phone based platform for recording health information and practicing self managed evidence based care. This generic "Lego block" architecture can be used to address any specific problem such as chronic disease or communicable diseases as well as general health. wellness and prevention. The standards based platform will also act as an integrating tool in fragmented or emerging health information technology ecosystems.

In addition to the technology, the project will more importantly focus on the collaborative, evidence based improvement of the knowledge and decision support that can best aid the individual in managing their own health.

In addition: The principal team members have been involved in the promotion, develoment and implementation of open source electronic medical records for nearly 10 years. Projects include the development of the OSCAR primary care EHR, the development of the US Veterans Administration's  VistA based WorldVistA EHR nd its subsequent certification by CCHIT. Experience in low resource settings includes consulting for IDRC on health IT investment strategy in developing countries and open source e-health strategy development for the Jordanian public health system. Team experience also includes authoring of a study and recommendations for successful patient/consumer patient portal strategies for Canada Health Infoway. PHR experience includes development of the Indivo based MyOSCAR personal health record in collaboration with MIT and it's implementation in the McMaster University Department of Family Medicine clinic setting.

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