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History of Public Health Information Systems and Informatics

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Public Health Informatics and Information Systems

Part of the book series: Health Informatics ((HI))

Abstract

From the earliest development of counting and counting machines to today’s sophisticated public health systems, a fundamental problem of public health practice has been the development of systems that can collect and analyze data, then convert it to useful forms. The development of modern mechanical measuring devices was a quantum leap toward solving the problem but, even after the invention of the computer in the twentieth century, there was a continuing need for systems that would maximize integration of system components and minimize duplication of data entry. A review of the three waves of modern federal-state public health system development in the US reveals the progression toward the goal of optimization. In general, today’s systems to manage public health data and information have evolved in step with the scientific basis underlying public health practice, a practice that integrates findings in the biomedical field with the sciences of epidemiology and biostatistics.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina Foundation, Durham, NC, USA

    John R. Lumpkin

  2. Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA

    J. A. Magnuson

Authors
  1. John R. Lumpkin
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  2. J. A. Magnuson
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Correspondence to J. A. Magnuson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA

    J.A. Magnuson

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Indiana University, Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Brian E. Dixon

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Lumpkin, J.R., Magnuson, J.A. (2020). History of Public Health Information Systems and Informatics. In: Magnuson, J., Dixon, B. (eds) Public Health Informatics and Information Systems . Health Informatics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41215-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41215-9_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-41214-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-41215-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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