15 Best Open-Source & Free Hospital Management Software

The healthcare industry is always driven towards offering the best patient care unfailingly. Today’s scenario has emphasized the continuous improvement of the healthcare system and hospitals. But managing a hospital is not at all easy. Running a healthcare setup requires great management, hi-tech technology, seamless communication, and secure information management.

Here, in this article, we will understand the contribution of hospital management software in streamlining different functions.

What Is Hospital Management?

Hospital management includes processes for managing every aspect of healthcare operations and patient care. It includes booking appointments, scheduling treatment, managing patient databases, inventory management, documentation, lab management, and more.

Hospital management also includes ensuring drug safety, healthcare staff management, managing in-patient and out-patient activities, and so on.

Great management ensures the availability of the best quality healthcare services to the patients. Any loopholes or mistakes in hospital management can be drastic because it directly impacts the patients’ lives.

Now, doing this manually can lead to many errors. So, here, an effective Hospital Management Software can do the work for you.

What Is Hospital Management Software?

Hospital management software enables hospitals and healthcare centers to manage information and work systematically to provide the best healthcare services to patients. The software helps in streamlining all operational processes in a hospital regarding patients, doctors, staff and medical facilities.

HMS software is a centralized platform that ensures the integration of all functionalities and database related to doctors, patients, hospital staff and other stakeholders. It allows you to maintain electronic medical records and ensure better hospital management.

Hospital management systems are available in different product types like online, offline, cloud-based, on-premises, and open-source hospital managements in both paid and free versions.

Potential Benefits of Hospital Management Software

Investing in a hospital management system takes away all the pressure of managing databases and admin work off the hospital staff and gives them time to concentrate on improving healthcare services. It minimizes the chances of human errors and ensures accurate administration in the hospital.

Hospital management system is not only beneficial in managing administrative tasks, but it also benefits different stakeholders such as doctors, patients, hospital staff, and owners in its specific ways.

HMS for Doctors

• Provide medical assistance from anywhere, anytime
• Offers quick access to information
• Effective management of patients
• Seamless communication & collaboration
• Paperless report generation
• Real-time notifications & alerts

HMS for Patients

• Real-time notifications & alerts
• Ease in booking and scheduling appointments
• Online access to healthcare facilities
• Better communication with doctors & hospital staff
• Increased transparency

HMS for Hospital Staff

• Better database management
• Better co-ordination among different departments
• Accurate report generation
• Simplified & systematic workflow
• Better delegation of tasks

HMS for Hospital Owners

• Better image management
• Ensures complete transparency
• Accurate data management
• Better financial management
• Offers complete control over operational costs
• Enables data-driven decision making

Best Open Source & Free Hospital Management Software

1. OpenEMR
2. Open Clinic GA
3. OpenMRS
4. One Touch EMR
5. MedKey
6. VistA
7. HospitalRun
8. Bahmni
9. GaiaEHR
10. Chikitsa
11. Datotahost
12. Elixir Aid
13. Open Hospital

Let’s discuss the features, pros, and cons of some top free and open source hospital management software. Based on the requirements of your hospital, you can choose the best one for yourself and enjoy hassle-free management.

• OpenEMR

OpenEMR is a free and open source hospital management software that is suitable for all sizes of healthcare centers. The ONC certified solution is compatible to run on platforms like Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, etc. and supports up to 30 different languages.

This free HMS software enables the hospital to generate and automatically integrate lab orders with the patient’s profile, which facilitates quick decision-making.

Key Features of OpenEMR

• Keeps a track of patient demographics
• Appointment scheduling based on patient’s reports
• Supports in-house pharmacy
• Offers a patient portal with a secured chat option
• Secured online transactions
• Enables encrypted access to patient documents

Pros of OpenEMR

• Access to an active community
• CMS reporting

Cons of OpenEMR

• No application is available
• Lack of customer support

Is OpenEMR Free: Yes

Is OpenEMR Open Source: Yes

• Open Clinic GA

Open Clinic GA ensures a systematic approach in hospital management. The system is highly customizable and available in multiple languages for free. It provides advanced modules for handling administrative and management functions related to the hospital and patient handling and care.

This free and open source hospital information system allows users to have an overview of mortality stats and costs of any specific care or treatment. The HMS also provides access to an unlimited number of users.

Key Features of Open Clinic GA

• Human resource management
• Supports all multimedia like photos, videos, and audio
• Enables fingerprint/ biometric identification
• Pharmacy stock management module
• Appointment booking & scheduling system
• Barcode recognition

Pros of Open Clinic GA

• User-friendly interface
• Integrated scheduling system
• Pathology result management

Cons of Open Clinic GA: Lack of customer support

Is Open Clinic GA Free: Yes

Is Open Clinic GA Open Source: Yes

• OpenMRS

OpenMRS is an open source hospital management software built with the intention of supporting hospitals in serving patients and managing administrative tasks. This HMS is a community-driven and user-centered platform that is supported by NGOs, NPOs and governments worldwide.

The hospital management software allots a unique ID number to every patient where they can update details like blood pressure, plus rate, BMI, etc. A special feature known as Capture Visit enables you to directly add or change a patient’s record without having to open his/her profile.

Key Features of OpenMRS

• Customized dashboard as per the role
• Supports multimedia like audio, video, and images
• Offers extensive framework to manage patients’ observation and reading
• User-friendly patient dashboard
• Enables location-based login

Pros of OpenMRS

• Access to a large community of creators who can design, code, speak
• Provides a MyProfile tab to users to patients
• Highly secure
• Offers flexible reporting

Cons of OpenMRS: Installation issues faced by users.

Is OpenMRS Free: Yes

Is OpenMRS Open Source: Yes

• One Touch EMR

One Touch EMR is one of the best cloud-based free hospital management systems, which do not require any hardware or server installation. It enables the user to touch, type or dictate to enter the data into the system. This HMS software also offers the integration of laboratory functionalities to enhance the workflow and improve patient care.

Key Features of One Touch EMR

• A user-friendly dashboard to manage daily appointments, messages, new patients, etc.
• Real-time notifications to confirm, cancel or reschedule appointments
• Highly customizable features
• Simplifies documentation
• Compatible with various devices
• Integrated billing system

Pros of One Touch EMR

• Easy installation
• Reduces workload
• Offers multi-level encryption

Cons of One Touch EMR: Inactive customer support

Is One Touch EMR Free: Yes

Is One Touch EMR Open Source: Yes

• MedKey

MedKey is a free hospital management software designed to run a healthcare setup smoothly. You can choose to install this software on-premise or as a SaaS cloud solution.

It is a perfect choice if you plan to automate your clinic or hospital functions. It is suitable for all sizes of hospitals and healthcare centers.

Key Features of MedKey

• User-friendly dashboards
• Simply designed user interface
• Offers integration of medical CRM
• Drug inventory management module
• Compatible with all devices & operating systems
• Easy upgradation available

Pros of MedKey

• User-friendly features
• Offers customization for modules

Cons of MedKey: Works only with high speed internet connectivity.

Is MedKey Free: Yes

Is MedKey Open Source: Yes

• VistA

VistA software is rated as one of the most convenient and easy-to-use HMS. It is created to support different clinical settings and functions by creating a high-quality healthcare system.

This free and open source hospital management system ensures accurate electronic health records for quick diagnosis. VistA software can be used by small clinic setups as well as large medical facilities.

Key Features of VistA

• Offers integration of drug, pathology, and radiology data
• Appointment management
• Provides easy-to-use features for patients
• Billing option available on dashboard
• Offers a comprehensive EHR system
• Highly secure

Pros of VistA

• Requires no special training to use
• Cost-effective

Cons of MedKey: Lack of customer support

Is VistA Free: Yes

Is VistA Open Source: Yes

• HospitalRun

HospitalRun hospital management software aims at streamlining all the operational processes to save time. It is best suited for clinics and small hospitals that are in rural areas, as it runs without internet connectivity as well. The software is compatible to run on Mac and Windows.

Key Features of HospitalRun

• Offline availability
• Offers inventory management module
• Provides expense management module
• Patient database management
• Special module for managing patients in emergency care
• Patient registration and appointment management

Pros of HospitalRun

• Offers automated integration of lab tests
• Offline access

Cons of HospitalRun: Unfit for large hospitals

Is HospitalRun Free: Yes

Is HospitalRun Open Source: Yes

• Bahmni

Bahmni is one of the most easy-to-use software out there in the market which requires minimal training to use. It is ideally developed for small hospitals and clinics located in rural areas.

It is focused on improving healthcare services while minimizing the errors in administrative tasks.  The system also offers smart insights to minimize diagnostic errors and enables smart and quick decision making.

Key Features of Bahmni

• Supports various devices like tablets, laptops and desktops
• Offers 360-degree patient information including appointments, demographics & billing
• Seamlessly integrates with existing systems
• Access to an engaging community
• Supports disease-specific form generation
• Accurate report generation

Pros of Bahmni

• Web application available
• Enables informed decision-making

Cons of Bahmni: Unfit for large hospitals

Is Bahmni Free: Yes

Is Bahmni Open Source: Yes

• GaiaEHR

GaiaEHR is a web-based HMS that can run on almost all the operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux and so on. The login is protected by a username and unique password, and once you have logged you can create multiple accounts with different passwords.

It’s an ideal platform to maintain electronic health records and streamline every aspect of practice management.

Key Features of GaiaEHR

• Allows you to create multiple user accounts
• Customized QR code for each patient
• User-friendly interface
• Uses PHP based application
• Compatible with multiple operating systems

Pros of GaiaEHR

• Easy installation
• Simplified UI/UX design

Cons of GaiaEHR: Data reliability issues

Is GaiaEHR Free: Yes

Is GaiaEHR Open Source: Yes

• Chikitsa

Chikitsa open-source hospital management system is best suited for solo practitioners and small clinics. The HMS offers a user-friendly interface which makes it highly responsive.

It provides features like creating a detailed patient profile, generating bills, scheduling appointments, etc. This system allows patients to create their detailed personal profiles and store it.

Key features of Chikitsa

• Allows to keep patient records and information
• Access to patient’s medical history
• Offers patients’ appointments and scheduling
• Quick bill generation

Pros of Chikitsa

• Easy set-up
• Perfect for solo practitioners
• Active support team

Cons of Chikitsa: Comparatively less flexible with scheduling appointments.

Is Chikitsa Free: Yes

Is Chikitsa Open Source: Yes

• Datotahost

Datotahost is another open-source system that is best suited for clinic laboratories. The hospital management software can generate accurate reports and support several types of lab testing.

Its distinctive features help you perform everything efficiently from producing to maintaining pathological and clinical records.

Key features of Datotahost

• Additional support available on Skype & WhatsApp
• User-friendly interface
• Offers a referral program feature
• Provides accounting module

Pros of Datotahost

• Active support team
• Powerful Dashboard

Cons of Datotahost: Requires high-speed internet connectivity

Is Datotahost Free: Yes

Is Datotahost Open Source: Yes

• Elixir Aid

Elixir Aid is created with a vision to make hospital management go paperless. One single platform allows you to monitor all the resources and operations of your hospital.

The quick and easy access to information allows the hospital staff to make timely decisions and provide the best healthcare services.

Key Features of Elixir Aid

• Enhanced user experience with a responsive layout
• Highly customizable to suit your needs
• Offers a secure payment gateway
• Increases administrative efficiency
• Offers resource optimization to boost profits

Pros of Elixir Aid

• User-friendly interface
• Instant access to information and retrieval

Cons of Elixir Aid: Customer support available only through email

Is Elixir Aid Free: Yes

Is Elixir Aid Open Source: Yes

• Open Hospital

This free and open-source hospital management software focuses on digitalization of all the hospital information including patient records, treatment history, laboratory data, etc. It is an ideal option for small and mid-sized hospitals and healthcare centers and doesn’t require frequent updates.

Key features of Open Hospital

• Multi-lingual support
• Maintains vaccination records including dates and execution
• Report generation in PDF and Excel formats
• Allows patient registration using photographs
• Offers pharmacy management module
• Provides real-time SMS reminders

Pros of Open Hospital

• Quick and easy installation
• Provides vaccination database

Cons of Open Hospital: Unfit for large hospitals

Is Open Hospital Free: Yes

Is Open Hospital Open Source: Yes

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