Installation Guide for OpenEMR on Ubuntu 24.04, utilizing NGINX as the web server
OpenEMR, an open-source electronic medical records and medical practice management application, can be deployed on a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 VPS from Shape.Host, using NGINX as the web server, MariaDB for the database, and securing the setup with UFW and Let's Encrypt for HTTPS. This article provides a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide for deploying OpenEMR.
**Prerequisites**
Before starting, ensure you have the following: - A purchased and deployed Ubuntu 24.04 LTS server on Shape.Host. - SSH access to your VPS, which can be established using Terminal (Mac/Linux) or PuTTY (Windows). - A domain name pointed to your VPS (required for HTTPS with Let's Encrypt).
**Step 1: Connect to Your VPS**
To connect to your VPS, use the following command, replacing `your_server_ip` with your actual server IP address provided by Shape.Host:
```bash ssh root@your_server_ip ```
**Step 2: Update System and Install Essential Packages**
Update your system and install essential packages using the following command:
```bash sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y sudo apt install -y wget curl git unzip gnupg2 software-properties-common nginx mariadb-server php-fpm php-mysql php-curl php-json php-gd php-ldap php-mbstring php-xml php-zip ```
**Step 3: Secure MariaDB and Create the Database**
Secure MariaDB installation and create the OpenEMR database and user with the following commands:
```bash sudo mysql_secure_installation ``` Follow prompts to remove anonymous users, disallow root login remotely, remove test databases, and reload privileges.
```bash sudo mysql ```
```sql CREATE DATABASE openemr; CREATE USER 'openemr_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'a_strong_password'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON openemr.* TO 'openemr_user'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; exit ```
Replace `a_strong_password` with your chosen password.
**Step 4: Download and Prepare OpenEMR**
Download OpenEMR and move it to the appropriate directory:
```bash wget https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/openemr/OpenEMR%20Current/7.0.0/openemr-7.0.0.tar.gz tar xvzf openemr-*.tar.gz sudo mv openemr-*/ /var/www/openemr ```
**Step 5: Configure NGINX for OpenEMR**
Create an NGINX virtual host config, paste the configuration below, adjusting `server_name` to your domain, and enable the site:
```bash sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/openemr ```
``` server { listen 80; server_name yourdomain.com;
root /var/www/openemr; index index.php index.html;
location / { try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string; }
location ~ \.php$ { include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf; fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php-fpm.sock; fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name; } } ```
```bash sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/openemr /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/ sudo nginx -t sudo systemctl restart nginx ```
**Step 6: Configure UFW (Firewall)**
```bash sudo ufw allow 80 sudo ufw allow 443 sudo ufw allow 22 sudo ufw enable ```
**Step 7: Add HTTPS with Let's Encrypt**
Install Certbot and the NGINX plugin, obtain and install the certificate, and follow on-screen prompts to complete the process:
```bash sudo apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com ```
**Step 8: Complete OpenEMR Web Setup**
Open your browser and visit https://yourdomain.com. Follow the on-screen OpenEMR setup wizard, entering your MariaDB credentials and other required settings when prompted. After installation, tighten permissions further as per OpenEMR documentation for security.
**Final Notes**
- Regularly update your server, OpenEMR, and all software packages for optimal security. - Configure regular backups of both the database (`mysqldump`) and the /var/www/openemr directory. - Consider monitoring your server with tools like Zabbix or GLPI for better management.
This guide provides a foundational, secure, and production-ready OpenEMR deployment on Ubuntu 24.04 with NGINX. Adjust paths and credentials as needed for your environment. Happy deploying!
The deployment of OpenEMR can also be supplemented by integrating it with health-and-wellness applications to facilitate a more comprehensive approach to healthcare management. For instance, incorporating wearable technology data from devices like heart rate monitors, blood pressure cuffs, or glucose meters can enrich the patient data available for analysis and informed decision-making.
In this digital age, staying updated with the latest trends in both science and technology is crucial for the successful implementation of such integrated health systems. Keeping the system, as well as the individual components, updated and secured is essential for optimal performance, efficiency, and the preservation of patient privacy and data integrity.
