OpenEMR Express Plus Installation

Situation
How to install OpenEMR Cloud Express Plus

OpenEMR Version
I’m using OpenEMR version - Nothing at this point

Browser:
I’m using: Chrome mostly - but also Mozilla and MS Edge occasionally

Operating System
Windows 10 > Windows 7

Logs
N/A

I am a physician starting a small solo practice. I have limited computer skills and am looking for a inexpensive alterantive EMR. My search led me to OpenEMR. I believed - and continue to believe - that a cloud-based solution would be best for me given my limited computer skills and the limited resources I have to install, maintain and personalize a local installation. I wanted the least expensive solution for a HIPAA comliant system. Using the table below, it would seem that Cloud Express Plus would be the best option:

https://www.open-emr.org/wiki/index.php/AWS_Cloud_Packages_Comparison

Now . . . I had previously installed a version of Cloud Express using the OpenEMR Wiki and video tutorial below as a guide (I have since abandoned Cloud Express as I could not successfully connect to the instance . . . and it does not appear to be HIPAA compliant).

So I used this same method to try to install Cloud Express Plus but for some reason cannot find it on EC2 launch. [This is odd because I have created a Cloud Express Plus instance on AWS previously but had to terminate it as the instance would not continue to connect - similar to the problem I had with Cloud Express]. So I searched the web and came upon this at github, but admittedly do not know what to do with the information presented.

Soooo . . . several questions:

  1. Is OpenEMR Cloud Express Plus the lowest cost HIPAA compliant cloud-based solution (vs Shared Host/Lightsail and Cloud Express)
  2. If so, what is the easiest method of installation: via AWS . . . via Github (assuming it can even be done through the latter)
  3. If AWS - how to do it?
  4. If Github - how to do it? As mentioned, I am not tech savy (https://www.open-emr.org/wiki/index.php/OpenEMR_Cloud_Express_Plus_Data_Sheet)
  5. Would this all be easier if I just went with a Google Cloud launch?
  6. Is the Google Cloud option HIPAA compliant?(https://console.cloud.google.com/marketplace/details/oemr-public/openemr-launchpad?pli=1).

As mentioned above, I have previously successfully created OpenEMR instances on AWS, but have had problems connecting to them (and have raised these concerns in other posts). I have since terminated these instances. As I typically use Winows PCs or Chromebooks, maybe this Google solution makes the most sense for me???

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Tom

Just to clarify, you’ve previously used Cloud Standard without success? A solution from the Marketplace is going to be the simplest install from a technical perspective.

For Express Plus, have you seen the README File?

The absolute simplest, non-technical way to get up and running is to use the Marketplace, but if you’re looking for the most inexpensive, you’re going to have to do some work yourself on the AWS console, there’s just no way around it (Other than hiring a support vendor which would kinda defeat the purpose of reducing cost)

Thank you for your reply. Yes I did read the README file, but I am still confused.

As mentioned, I had previously used the video tutorial referenced in my original post to find OpenEMR Cloud Express and launch the instance. I assume this is what you mean by “The Marketplace”. The launching of the instance worked fine, but after some weeks I lost my ability to access the instance. (Despite my best attempts, I could not figure out why this happened - but this is a topic of another post and not the focus of my current question). I terminated the instance because of my inability to access it . . . and because I found out that it was not HIPAA compliant as per the OpenEMR Wiki.

So I them moved on to OpenEMR Cloud Express Plus, as it was my understanding that this was the most cost effective HIPAA compliant solution. I actually was able to install it . . . and to the best of my recollection I used the same method of doing so as I did with Cloud Express. Once installed, I was able to access the launch for several weeks, but again my ability to access it ceased. It was the same issue I had above with Express (again, not the subject of this post).

Now , . . when I go in to AWS EC2 launch and search for OpenEMR Exprss Plus, I can only find the standard OpenEMR Express. There does not appear to be an option on the Marketplace to launch Express Plus. Therein lies my problem. I cannot find the instance to launch on the AWS marketplace. The README file assumes (as I read it) that I can find this, but I cannot. I’m sure I am making an obvious mistake, here, but I cannot figure out what it is.

Don’t know if some screen shots would help.

Any thoughts re: the Google solution?

Tom

Express Plus isn’t available from the AWS Marketplace; you’ll launch it directly from CloudFormation with the templates we host in the relevant regions.