Setting Up Government 3.0 Solutions Based on Open Source Software: The Case of X-Road

Part 2: E-Government Services and Open GovernmentInternational audienceGovernment 3.0, which builds on openness and transparency, sharing, increased communication and collaboration, government reorganization through integration and interoperability, and use of new technologies, is an emerging concept in eGovernance. However, few systems that qualify as Government 3.0 have been described in detail so far. And there is a lack of research on how governments can put in place such systems. This study investigates and characterizes an innovative eGovernment project, based on Open Source Software (OSS), that could be considered as an example of a Government 3.0 project. Therefore, we report from a case study of X-Road, an originally Estonian eGovernment project for creating a data sharing infrastructure, which today is also used in other countries. We present the main characteristics of X-Road from the point of view of Government 3.0, how the X-Road project is organized, compare its organization to other OSS projects, identify who contributes to the project, and point out what challenges are perceived by their stakeholders. We conclude offering some reflections on how X-Road and other Government 3.0 projects can benefit from OSS

Standardization and simplification of vaccination records

The majority of vaccines are administered during childhood. Vaccination records are important documents to be kept for a lifetime, but the documentation of immunization events is poorly standardized. At the point of care, paper records are often unavailable, making it impossible to obtain accurate vaccination histories. Vaccination records should include batch specifications to allow the tracking of licensed vaccines in cases of recall. The WHO have generated the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis for the documentation of childhood and travel vaccinations as well as seasonal and booster immunizations. When moving vaccination records into the digital age, data standards and interoperability need to be considered. The ideal vaccination record should facilitate the interpretation of safety reports and promote a data continuum from pre-licensure trials to post-marketing surveillance. The current article describes which data elements are essential, and how vaccination documentation could be streamlined and simplified