Hello, new to this forum! Normally it’s aquariums or gardening of some type I discuss online, but caught the Apache, PHP, MySQL and OpenEMR bug, . I’m a newbie/novice. 1 class of vba coding in college. Been on an XYZ certificate authority mTLS of vb. Net and Sslstream kick lately. I have my Apache, php, MySQL audit of a hardening to do list, but the little lock shows up in the browser for My OpenEMR Staff Side and My OpenEMR Portal Side. I swapped the Apache Allow All section, but haven’t jumped too far in yet. I’ll probably eventually do two services sharing a DB, maybe swap to Apache, but the simplicity of the federal accreditation at $150 isn’t sounding horrendous. I like the mTLS approach to the staff side, but haven’t dove too far into public certificates. For some reason I’m leaning class lab had us creating certificates from file to get the domain information in the right section, but… let’s encrypt currently, lol. I’ve tinkered phpbb, Joomla as an under construction site and I’ll argue codeidniter for an htaccess with the rest of them, lol. I haven’t got too far into NetBeans and android apps
Anyway, good to be here. I can’t say I’m against re-download and install of the default version over the legal version if it’s just copy/paste the fixed intermittent files of the session token only saying site= , instead of site=default, at times. Any pointers to efficiency with my already having a security todo list would be appreciated. Or, obviously if my having to fix intermittent session token files is a flag, I can move that folder to backup. Which I’m sure will be a topic I eventually add to this or another thread. I have the process already in my Emergency Management file, but haven’t even gotten that far yet. Generally, should OpenEMR be a simple browse into htdocs and install most often good, or are the session token files common for custom legal versions?
I have to admit, I am not an IT person myself, so I will not be able to answer your questions. However, it looks like you have a really great start setting up your instance! It will take some time and work to iron out all those kinks and get it running exactly how you want, but you’re on the right track.
While you wait for some answers to chime in, I highly recommend throwing your specific configuration questions or error logs into one of the free AI tools (like Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT, …etc). They are surprisingly excellent at troubleshooting and can give you step-by-step guidance to save you some time.
Thank you for the reply! I am getting settled in. I’d say my level of coding is ‘familiar’ with blockchain and certificates. We did make a very similar app in lab, but didn’t have a few things pertaining to continuity of care, etc. My degree is actually Addiction Services related(counselor). Currently full time disabled stay at home dad and primary foster caregiver. I also ended up installing another copy of OpenEMR. Installing node and automating a task seems to of helped some issues. I haven’t tried the fresh copy besides login, care coordination and flow. So I’ll probably search the fix to portal document review errors on the first copy for no reason, lol. It helps learning the app. My class app was a control module and view. So many folders to learn navigating what’s where in OpenEMR! If I get stuck I’ll definitely check out other sections. I have 6 folders of pre-made case file forms to run through; I believe Document upload. To customize Adult and Adolescent Alcohol and other Drug Dependency Services forms and notifications Ohio specific. Letters for parents/guardians for session content, etc.. I’m sure it’ll be an initial mess, lol. Not too much of a hurry though. I’m still paying off a bunch of accreditation supplies for patient facing services. This’ll keep me busy between changing diapers.
Ha, I haven’t even opened the instructions yet and a phone still only smart as the one using it. About bright as writing an app and tossing it to open-source.
HI @Paulywog0667
Welcome to the community, I hope you find everything you want in OpenEMR.
Speaking of AIs responding to your enquiries, I will grudgingly acknowledge the usefulness of those new computer toys in some settings but people are using them in places a human does so much better… I am a human and I’ve been doing user support for practices using OpenEMR for about 15 years. I have a couple IT degrees which give me great background for my Support job, but my dev chops are about the same as yours.
Luckily, OpenEMR is built for such as us, as long as what we want to do first is to set up the EMR for a single practice, and configure several bells and clinical feature whistles. As you see in this forum, devs can make OpenEMR competitive with the most sophisticated EMR out there, but setting up its fundamental capabilities is well within the skills of non- devs.
Which leads me to the main thrust of my post, you don’t mention having heard of the wiki. Do you know about it?
The documentation itself is a little wonky since if a feature’s workflows have not changed since OpenEMR v 5, for example, the docs will not have been updated. Also not all features have been documented since the wiki is written by volunteers on a time- available basis. That being said it does have a lot of essential information that AIs will never tap into. You might as well ignore the videos at the bottom of the main page since they’re out of date and duplicated by the illustrated text tutorials.
As far as customizing the basic OpenEMR is concerned, the way OpenEMR is built makes it adaptable to basically any specialty by using the native form creation tools and customizing user ACLs.
Just to get started, let me specifically address a few of the issues I see in your post:
the patient portal:
patient documents:
document templates:
And different aspects of each of these topics are explained in other tutorials as they relate to other topics.
And more generally:
And then there’s this forum. It has every question ever asked about how to customize OpenEMR. Open the search tool and type your search term:
Thanks for the welcome! I’ll get more organized with it as I go. Those resources definitely look valuable. I’ve been browsing YouTube, etc., between diaper duty. OpenEMR itself seems pretty straightforward as a chemical dependency counselor. At least once I found the flow from encounter and able to customize procedures. I started more of a dig in and fine tune it thread with OpenELIS in a different category. I’ve done a generic lab procedure CBC request in OpenEMR and it sends the HL7 out. Where I’ve been tinkering with Merick and Swagger. It finds the folder and tonight after my workout. I’ll probably adjust the reader settings. I’m sure I missed something to easily connect them in documentation. Similarly I gutted and reconfigured session cookies while one download was intermittent between page loads/refresh. Re-download a different version. Recently refreshed an update, etc., . No issues, lol. My paperwork for a behavioral health organization is complete, but while budget falls back into a venue affordability without loan budget. Not to much of a rush. And the lady there wants everything else besides services done before her credentialing application portion. My mobile Waiver lab got approved, funded some DOT equipment, got a lab account agreement. So between getting that moving to try gettinga revenue moving to speed funds(I do have a mortgag, kids, etc.), getting both apps finished to transition away from a file cabinet (to an extent, etc.) Documentation definitely helps, thanks again.
Hi @Paulywog0667
It sounds like you’re getting a good start on your project, that’s great.
Ya gotta watch out for the YT vids. I haven’t reviewed all of them but I do know some of them are made on proprietary forks of OpenEMR and show features not available in the Comunity Ed.
Re: OpenELIS, I’m not familiar with it but you may be duplicating work since OpenEMR’s procedures module is designed to handle all aspects of ordering lab procedures, from importing an order compendium to sending off the orders to entering the results. And it’s possible you might set up something with OpenELIS that conflicts with OpenEMR’s procedures.
You might find this post useful:
When you’re ready for it, a rep from the lab you have the lab account with should be able to help with obtaining the compendium you’ll be using.
Another OpenEMR tool that many behavioral science practices use are the questionnaires. You can build your own or download pre-written ones. See the top level intro:
Thanks! Last night was pretty big for me. I was able to validate fhir communication between OpenEMR and OpenELIS. I still need to configure DORN, but do have a client secret, addresses, etc.. I was able to abandon use of Mirth and run from monitoring a folder for lab orders. Not that there’s anything wrong with the method. A much cleaner looking setup now. I might even have time to update a yml for more of a custom batch of usernames and passwords, . I will need to update my emergency management plan for any state/accreditation survey. Far as handling service interruption, bad actors, etc.. Ultimately the few edits well worth effort. I do appreciate the resources. They helped keep AI focused on understanding HL7 of an actual order isn’t the actual fhir chain, etc. So much closer to a VPN for staff and patient portal viewable. Seems some of the mTLS certificates are approaching needing refreshed too.
Yeah, things have been busy at home recently. But also the times I checked in here I didn’t see much I am qualified to address- seems to be a lot of issues like what @Paulywog0667 posted earlier today!
But happily he seems to be getting what he needs from the forum so that’s great, we’re fulfilling our mission.
I am running OpenElis, but I’m still tearing into it. Are you referring to creating a provider/user in EMR? I’m still getting used to UI wording, lol. And just came off two days of AI trying to steer down a send to file method. Which resulted in searching older Mirth to use its GUI to make channels. It was seeing the folder, but not reading and a slow process copy/pasting swagger and cmd prompt for functioning channels. Props to whom tolerates that redundancy, lol. I ended up establishing EMR can talk FHIR to Elis, but like mentioned, I’m new to both UIs. So getting away from write to folder. I believe I went down the Web Service rabbit hole. Which lead to some DORN edits to include the fhir communication and not error, or force a HL7 download with transmitting orders. If you could supply a screenshot of where you’re at. I can look at mine and see if you’re referring to a container, or independent ip. I got mine successfully transmitting lab orders from EMR and storing in Elis, but not populating in external orders yet. I’m sending bare bones procedures though. There’s as much odds I’m not populating data in electronic orders from lack of minimal fields as the next hook/function added somewhere I probably took out going at send to folder.
Here’s where I’m now at in the screenshots. I have the IPs contained to a local machine VB since Elis likes to crowd my existing public facing Apache service. Until I get it running how Id like. I still need to add a VPN for staff side. Then I can just update the yml, ports refresh certificates and then I’ll have access to add toxicology codes from my laptop instead of having to go in the office and server machine. Otherwise I’d just open it and let ya know. So tomorrow evening after diaper duty is what I can do.
Baseline goal is accomplished! I didn’t end up using client/secret DORN option, but chose the included mTLS hapi fhir and EMR/DORN sample JSON. Long story… utilized existing templates to send lab requests to OpenELIS, staff does workflow to final reports, OpenEMR pulls diagnostic report, populates provider review and then enters patient chart. Next up will be the VPN. And revisit the two for adding LOINC codes to toxicology. I’m sure there’ll be a little fine tuning fields, but I know at least the minimals are there from templates to satisfy OpenELIS. With a request Entered in Elis and EMR’s copy of report data applied to patient charts. Elis does provide three pdfs for in a DOT flow sense. So I can see an easy integration, but I’ll obviouslyprobably maintain my Quest account considering I did the merge currently for CLIA Waiver use. I can’t say I’m not paying off accreditation manuals, policy and procedures for easy expansion to provider performed and/or complex certification though. . Basically kept accreditation compliance merging the two with mTLS hapi fhir instead of DORN.
. I’m a newbie/novice. 1 class of vba coding in college. Been on an XYZ certificate authority mTLS of vb. Net and Sslstream kick lately. I have my Apache, php, MySQL audit of a hardening to do list, but the little lock shows up in the browser for My OpenEMR Staff Side and My OpenEMR Portal Side. I swapped the Apache Allow All section, but haven’t jumped too far in yet. I’ll probably eventually do two services sharing a DB, maybe swap to Apache, but the simplicity of the federal accreditation at $150 isn’t sounding horrendous. I like the mTLS approach to the staff side, but haven’t dove too far into public certificates. For some reason I’m leaning class lab had us creating certificates from file to get the domain information in the right section, but… let’s encrypt currently, lol. I’ve tinkered phpbb, Joomla as an under construction site and I’ll argue codeidniter for an htaccess with the rest of them, lol. I haven’t got too far into NetBeans and android apps
. No issues, lol. My paperwork for a behavioral health organization is complete, but while budget falls back into a venue affordability without loan budget. Not to much of a rush. And the lady there wants everything else besides services done before her credentialing application portion. My mobile Waiver lab got approved, funded some DOT equipment, got a lab account agreement. So between getting that moving to try gettinga revenue moving to speed funds(I do have a mortgag, kids, etc.), getting both apps finished to transition away from a file cabinet (to an extent, etc.) Documentation definitely helps, thanks again.
