What is an important need for public health informatics regarding data collection?

Photo: National Cancer Institute (John Crawford)

Informatics is the converting of data into information.

Informatics is what provides the tool necessary for that "organized community effort" to become a reality. Providing vital public health information not just to public health officials but to the public, and local and state leaders will provide the ability to collaborate and determine the needs and how to execute programs to meet those needs.

Public Health Informatics will provide the who, what, when, where, and how of diseases, illnesses, disparities, injuries, and other health information. It will provide a single site where information can be easily accessed and utilized, a single site where multiple reliable sources of information can be used to research and identify new ideas. The future of public health lies within informatics. Think of public health as being the roads that spread to communities across this state and this nation and informatics as the mode of transportation that will take that information to those communities and enable them to prevent disease, prolong life, and promote health.

What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of applying informatics that may influence the existing system?

When looking at the internal and external variables that may influence existing informatics systems, the following should be considered. Information systems and the data that they contain are supported by sound research and data collection practices (internal variables). Also, the complexity and capacity of current information systems allow informaticians to analyze health data to make sound recommendations. However, it should be noted that data is obtained from a number of sources by different people with different interpretations of data. And to develop health interventions on the population level, data about individuals must be combined and aggregated accurately, all while running the risk of misguided programming and misdirection of funding.

Photo: National Cancer Institute (Bill Branson)

How Informatics is Used

The use of informatics offers both opportunities and challenges. These external variables include the widespread use and growth of technology which allows for GIS, immunization registries, decision support systems for program development, and targeting of populations for health interventions. And while dealing with sensitive information, informaticians must ensure the confidentiality and security of patient data. Most important, data must be translated into clear and compelling information for policymakers, interest groups, and the general public.

An example that includes a concept or practice of informatics that is employed to develop/enhance a health surveillance system:

In Douglas County, Nebraska, the Douglas County Health Department conducts focused health surveillance of the STD epidemic. Community Health Centers, FQHCs, Health Department Satellite clinics, and hospitals all report the incidence of STDs in patients. Data is fed into a central registry at the Health Department where timely recognition of disease within the community, coupled with rapid investigation, enables the prompt implementation of prevention and control activities.

These activities can contain the spread of disease within the population, reducing the risk of disease transmission before the illness becomes a major public health crisis. Effective surveillance and information systems also play a role in identifying emerging infectious diseases, as well as providing a basis for evaluating the outcome of public health prevention programs.

Written by Coursera • Updated on Nov 8, 2022

Data and information systems can play a big role in advancing public health around the globe. Learn more about public health informatics and how to get started in this field.

Measuring, promoting, and advocating for public health on a global and local scale is no easy feat. Public health benefits from data-driven decisions based on data that is collected systematically and accurately. 

Since the adoption of electronic health records (EHR), data has increasingly been at the forefront of health care technology. During the COVID-19 pandemic, EHR-based rapid screening processes, documentation templates for emergency room testing, and reporting tools, helped track and monitor the virus in hospitals [1]. 

Public health informatics operates at the intersection of public health, data analytics, computer science, and communication. This article will take you through public health informatics, including real-world examples and careers.

What is public health informatics?

Public health informatics is the systematic application of data, technology, and information systems to public health practice and research. Focusing on community and population health, it tackles disease treatment and prevention as well as examining the role of government agencies in public health.

Public health informatics can help improve the efficiency, accuracy, and distribution of health care, ensure communities have equal access to basic human needs like food, shelter, transportation, and employment, and prevent major diseases.

Read more: What Is Health Informatics? Definition + How to Get Started

5 steps to creating a public health information system

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are five steps that public health informatics professionals can use to create a public health information system [2].

1. Vision and system planning: What types of information technology (IT) systems will you use? Do you need hardware, software, or communication technology? 

2. Health data standards and integration: How will you ensure health data standards and integration are followed? 

3. Data privacy and security: What systems can help ensure data privacy and security throughout the data lifecycle?

4. Systems design and implementation: What methods and information technology can be implemented to optimize data, data flow, and outputs for public health functions?

5. Visualization, analysis, and reporting of health data: Using a combination of analytics software, business intelligence, and public health practice, what types of reporting and analysis will make the most meaningful use of the data collected? How can we report health statistics and information to the public in an accessible manner?

Read more: Big Data in Health Care: What It Is, Benefits, and Jobs

Examples of public health informatics

Public health informatics tends to be implemented at the national, state, or local level, by health agencies that collect data for specific health issues. Here are some real-world examples to help you understand it better.

• Decrease the spread of infectious diseases: Government entities collect and analyze birth records to provide reliable statistics to health departments and policy makers, while also using this information to improve birth outcomes, identify mortality trends, and decrease the spread of infectious diseases.

• Improving public health reporting: EHRs help organizations collect standardized and systematic data, thereby improving reporting and surveillance. Electronic laboratory reporting helps transmit data to public health officials, so they can better monitor and prevent disease. For example, New York City public health officials designed a program that uses EHRs to alert clinicians of potential diagnoses to increase diagnostic testing that aids public health investigation and management [3].

• Geographic analysis: Data can be used to combat environmental disasters and bioterrorism threats. Using a geographic information system (GIS), data can be collected and analyzed to reveal trends and patterns in specific locations.

Careers in public health informatics

There are many jobs that exist within public health informatics. Here are some of the more common that you’ll encounter as you explore this field.

• Health informatics specialist: A public health informatics specialist (or consultant) is an interdisciplinary role that blends IT with health and communication. They might interact with doctors, nurses, and other IT professionals to gather and analyze data, design workflows, measure impact, manage IT systems, and more.

  • Salary: $91,323 [4]

• Clinical data manager: Clinical data managers collect data from medical research projects and manage the information so it is reported securely and accurately. They might work for pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, governmental organizations, or research universities to prepare reports, data charts, and other materials.

  • Salary: $116,878 [5]

• Informatics nurse: An informatics nurse is typically a registered nurse who helps manage complex health information in hospitals, nursing homes, and public health organizations. They guide data workflows and implement new technology to optimize care.

  • Salary: $101,915 [6]

• Chief medical information officer: This leadership role bridges the medical and IT departments within a health care organization. They may be physicians themselves taking on the role of technology implementation, or health informatics specialists that have moved up in the organization by creating efficient data processes and systems.

  • Salary: $161,518 [7]

Read more: Your Guide to a Career in Nursing Informatics

How to get started

Due to the range of possible careers within public health informatics, your approach to getting started depends on where you fall on the spectrum of public health vs. data analytics.

If your interest and skills are more analytical, as in, you excel at solving problems on data analytics software and building information systems, then you might consider building your credentials in informatics with a bachelor’s degree, associate degree, or professional certificate in data analytics or computer science.

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If you’re more interested in the public health side of things and are passionate about envisioning scalable, equitable solutions to disease prevention, then a master’s in public health with an informatics focus could be a good fit. This credential offers you high-level knowledge for working alongside IT professionals to create innovative data solutions.

Read more: What Can You Do with a Master’s in Public Health (MPH)?

Get started in health informatics

Learn the essentials of health IT and big data by getting started in this dynamic and rapidly growing field with Johns Hopkins University’s Health Informatics Specialization. You’ll learn about the social and technical context of health informatics, how to implement health informatics interventions, and much more.

If you’re more excited to dive into the data aspect of public health informatics, then consider Google’s Data Analytics professional certificate. Whether you decide to stick to health or not, these skills will be transferable to many careers.

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Written by Coursera • Updated on Nov 8, 2022

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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