Speaking at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMMS) AsiaPac09 conference, held on 24-27 February, Kuala Lumpur, Sun Microsystems, vice president, global government, education and healthcare, Joe Hartley said: "The economic downturn has accelerated the adoption of open-source technology in the region, which was gaining traction even before the global crisis. Cost-effectiveness is now the critical factor in most business leaders' minds."

"Open-source technologies are providing a stimulus to drive business in emerging economies. For example, here in the Malaysia public sector alone, agencies using open-source software have risen to 429 in 2009, compared to 354 in 2008."

HIMMS, the global healthcare industry's membership organisation, founded in 1961, with offices around the world, represents more than 20,000 individual members and more than 350 corporate members. It frames and leads public policy and industry practices through advocacy, educational and professional developments.

Innovation loves a crisis

Hartley said: "Our chief executive officer said innovation loves a crisis--both the downturns as well as the rising challenge to meet the needs of healthcare professionals, who need to have secure and rapid access to information.