Data Standards in Public Health Informatics

Abstract

Much of current public health activity has been affected by the emergence of information technologies. Newer and faster ways to share data have impacted critical functions like the monitoring of infectious conditions and the identification of risk factors for disease. As the speed and availability of data increases, it becomes vitally important to use common methods for coding and exchanging data to assure that information being shared is translated into applied public health action. Public health practitioners must choose among different standard vocabularies, data exchange formats, and software tools for supporting implementation of data standards. Hospitals and laboratories have realized a number of benefits from standardized approaches to integrating information systems. Greater involvement at all levels of the public health community in the development and use of data standards should be equally beneficial to public health practice.