Using GIS for administrative decision-making in a local public health setting

摘要

Geographic information systems (GIS) include tools that capture, store, analyze, and manage data linked to geographic locations. These tools were quickly adopted by fields such as environmental management and biological sciences since the first use of GIS in the 1970s.1 However, in recent years, GIS has been increasingly used within the realm of health care as a tool to better understand spatial relationships of health and illness.2"6 GIS has also become a valuable tool in assuring access to hospitals,78 palliative care,9 and primary care for vulnerable and underserved populations.10"12 Using GIS as a tool to determine where clinics can be placed to maximize access to care is particularly relevant for primary care services associated with ongoing changes to our health-care system, especially in light of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.13 Therefore, GIS may serve as a tool to aid decision makers in strategizing clinic placement and managing the forthcoming demand on health-care resources.