The Internet can enhance the local health department’s provision of several essential public health services: a) monitoring health status of the community; b) diagnosing and investigating health problems; and c) assuring a competent public health workforce. Although Internet-assisted provision of these services creates opportunities, it also produces challenges that impact upon policy development, community partnerships, and availability of technical solutions. Monitoring health through Internet-based surveillance can improve timeliness and dissemination of data. Creating an Internet surveillance system, however, requires policy agreement about the system’s architecture—the types of connections and the direction of data flow—and assurances that privacy and security protections meet users’ needs. Secure, Internet-based networks can link health departments and public safety officials investigating bioterrorist threats. Creating these linkages, however, requires developing community relationships with non-traditional partners—law enforcement and emergency management agencies--who need to be educated about the role for public health in investigating such health threats. Distance-based learning via the Internet—interactive video courses tailored to individual training needs—will become commonplace in the future. Before such distributed training can be realized, however, technical issues—efficient delivery of large volumes of data through creation of local “mirror” servers—need to be tested and implemented. Despite these challenges, local health departments are likely to find that the significant benefits of the internet will justify the effort needed to build their capacity to use the Internet for public health purposes.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participnats will be able to:1. Identify at least three applications of internet technology for local public health departments. 2. Describe types of technical requirements for successful integration of health data via the internet. 3. Define strategies for involving non-traditional partners in supporting public health internet applications
Keywords: Health Information Systems, Bioterrorism
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.