Data Drives Public Health From Clinic to Community

Public health agencies need data to keep people healthy but getting that information depends on the cooperation of many people and organizations across health care and government. Data comes from a variety of sources—such as doctor’s offices, emergency departments, health systems, and labs—and in many forms. Individual cases of disease, lab results, immunizations records, and early warning signs such as spikes in symptoms seen in emergency rooms (known as syndromic surveillance) are all invaluable parts of the public health picture.

Together, this data is essential in helping to identify threats and form more effective and efficient responses to protect and improve people’s health. But making the most of these diverse data streams doesn’t happen automatically. Thanks to a concerted effort and sustained support from local, state, and federal leaders, the U.S. has made substantial progress in improving the flow of data to public health agencies, which enables them to identify outbreaks more quickly and control the spread of disease in their localities and states.