Maternity Ward Closures in Philadelphia: Using GIS to Measure Disruptions in Essential Health Services

摘要

GIS is a robust analysis tool capable of contributing to a more comprehensive study of public health issues than was possible using traditional methods. By analyzing the issue of maternity ward closures in Philadelphia, this paper explores the proper methods for utilizing, processing, and analyzing sensitive public health data. These analytical methods are underutilized in public health research due to widespread unfamiliarity with GIS technology as well as difficulty in accessing accurate data. Understanding and adopting GIS technology is valuable to the assessment, allocation, and delivery of health care services.