Milestones in Public Heath Informatics
There are several milestones in public health informatics history and one of them is specialization. The health field is vast and has many fields of concern to help the patients recover from various health complications and illnesses. Initially a doctor was supposed to be able to handle any health complications regardless of any aspects. Currently, the various areas that medical practitioners can specialize are such as disease prevention, epidemiology, laboratory health informatics, epidemiology among others (Yasnoff, O'carroll, Koo, Linkins & Kilbourne, 2000). With specialization in different fields and progress in information technology, the various areas of health concern can be tackled accurately since the medical expert has the immense academic knowledge to be able to handle all the issues related and revolving around the health complication of the patient. The knowledge and accuracy of information relating to health complications through information technology are within the health informatics.
In the previous years before the 1980’s when public informatics began to grow, surveillance of diseases was difficult as the tools used to assist the medical experts were not very advanced in terms of technology. In 1985 The EPI tools were developed to assist epidemiologist in surveillance of diseases so that they can make recommendations to solve the disease being surveyed (Yasnoff et al., 2000). With advanced in terms of technology to date, some of the surveillance tools for epidemiology are automated to conduct analysis on sets of data and give accurate results to improve the public health. The innovation and development of such tools in the medical field have helped timely detections of diseases to help prevent threats to the public and efficient health communication.
Similarities between Public Health Data of CDC and WHO
Both organizations’ public health data involves caring and conducting assessment of communities finding out the health complications they face and offer medical solutions. The CDC has the Community Health Assessments and the WHO interacts with communities in aspects of prenatal care and newborn care like immunizations and other infectious diseases in the community such as tuberculosis (World Health Organization, 2009).
Difference between Public Health Data of CDC and WHO
CDC public health data involves the environmental assessment using the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This assessment entails the identification, prediction and evaluation of factors such as biophysical, social and other factors that affect the environment which can intern affect the health of people (Center for Disease Control, 1972). WHO is after solving and preventing the occurrence or spreading of diseases and not focusing on the environmental part (World Health Organization, 2009).
Types of Statistics and Data
The CDC uses primary data which involves information from first hand source such as surveys, interviews or even observations. Secondary data is information which is acquired from other people or organizations that did a research about a certain aspect (Center for Disease Control, 1972). Indicators are also used by the CDC to analyze, compare rates or trends of health complications. WHO public health data involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation, of data that is useful to help overcome diseases (World Health Organization, 2009). In terms of public health data types between WHO and CDC are such as surveillance, both organizations use surveillance data techniques to assess and determine disease occurrence and progress to prevent and treat the public from diseases that occur within their locations. WHO uses theoretical and applied research in which theoretical involve analysis using already developed theories and applied involves is problem oriented with an aim of solving a health problem (World Health Organization, 2009). The CDC uses observational and quantitative research to solve health problems (Center for Disease Control 1972).
Obstacles in Public Health Informatics
There are several major hindrances in the public health informatics such as lack of computer training skills in most medical practitioners. Lack of this crucial skill made it difficult for the medical staff to use the advanced technology which makes solving of health issues easy. In addition the health organization used a lot of funds when they create sessions to educate the medical staff on how to use medical technology (Yasnoff et al., 2000). Another obstacle is that, with the advancement in health informatics the tools and devices being used became more expensive for health institutions to afford. Therefor not many institutions adopted the advanced public health information, thus not being able to save a lot of ill patients.
Salient Issues in Public Health Informatics Today
There are several companies that have come up with different systems that offer or assist in public health informatics, however, they are not standardized. The software they create are unique and cannot be universally incorporated in many health institutions. Also, when a health institution uses health informatics from one company, there are some important features that it may lack which software from another company has and the two cannot be incorporated together and run parallel due to incompatibility issues.
Web based Data Query Programs
The Alabama state has the Statistical Query, in Arizona there is the Arizona Public Health Data Query system, California has three, namely; California Vital Statistics Query System, EPICenter for injury data online and the California Environmental Health Tracking Program. My state which is Minnesota has two web based Data query Programs such as the Minnesota Department of Health- Health Statistics Portal and MiDAS which is Minnesota Injury Data Access System.
References
Center for Disease Control. Hospital Infections Section. (1972). Outline for surveillance and control of nosocomial infections.
World Health Organization. (2009). Milestones in health promotion: Statements from global conferences. Geneva: World Health Organization.
Yasnoff, W. A., O'carroll, P. W., Koo, D., Linkins, R. W., & Kilbourne, E. M. (2000). Public health informatics: improving and transforming public health in the information age.
