[OGo-Discuss] Is OpenGroupware the solution for me?

[Adam Tauno Williams]

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> development, but lately I am probably a bit rusty as a developer =20
> since I am now an IT manager at the Geneva University Hospital. =20

I know the feeling,  I used to program but now do mostly system
administration and integration.

> I need to find a solution to manage a shared calendar for a small =20
> medical practice (my wife is a physician). There are 3 physicians, =20
> and 2-3 nurses for treatments (oncology). I searched a lot of the web =20
> but either found pure calendar solutions (such as meeting maker) of =20
> full featured (more or less) CMS (Mambo, etc...) or groupware =20
> (Zimbra). I don't like PhP. I like SIMPLE solutions.=20

I guess it depends on how you define "SIMPLE",  I wouldn't call
OpenGroupware or any real groupware package SIMPLE.  It is pretty simple
to administer and use.

> My first real need is therefore for a calendar for each user (3 =20
> physicians and 3 beds). The possibility for the secretary to enter =20
> patients appointments. Same for the users (sometimes the physician =20
> will take an appointment sometimes it will be the secretary).

There is one calender in OGo,  appointments have participants and access
permissions (actually a nicer model then multiple calendars once you get
used to it).  You should be able to accomplish what you want.

> It must be possible to display the day with the appointments of the 3 =20
> physicians and maybe the 3 beds (ideally 6 columns).

Not certain what you mean.

> The physician must be able to find the next appointment scheduled for =20
> a patient and well as the previous appointment and optionnaly enter =20
> some comments.

Appointments have notes.  If the patients are entered into the system as
contacts they can be tied to appointments,  the contact view I think
shows the previous and upcoming 30(?) days.

> Since the practice is small, confidentiality is not the first concern.
> In a second stage, I will need to be able to upload patient into the =20
> OpenGroupware database (or vice versa) from an invoicing program. =20
> Also, maybe store documents on a per contact (patient) basis.

You can import delimited files.

> 1)
> How long (easy) is it to setup an OpenGroupware server on MacOSX? =20
> (taking into account my profile)

No idea, we are a SuSe shop.

> 2)
> With the basic system (e.g. no customization except accounts =20
> creation) is it possible to "start working" from a Web interface?

Yes.

> 3)
> Some classes make me think of WebObjects. Does that mean I could =20
> customize some templates? Are there re-usable wo-components?

Templates can be modified.

> 4)
> I am not certain I understood what process exist: is it a  single =20
> process  (unix process) handling everything or is it a kind of Apache =20
> module?

The OGo daemon is accessed via an Apache module.

> 5)
> I understand I need to install PostgreSQL (recommended). It probably =20
> means I can get to the data quite easily?

Yes.

> 6)
> I understand it is possible to use iCal to view the calendar, however =20
> is it really necessary since the HTML version seems quite nice?

It isn't necessary.

> 7)
> Considering my previous questions and context, which version should I =20
> start with? and how easy is it to upgrade? (for example if I start =20
> with version 1, and then want to benefit or contribute to items in =20
> 1.1, is it easy to upgrade)? Put differently, is it better in my =20
> situation to start with the lastest stable build for MacOSX or go for =20
> a previous final release?

If you want roles for appointment particpants which are quite usefule
you need to use 1.1.x, otherwise you can use 1.0.x.

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