Related Links
- Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence
- The New Brunswick Lung Association, Environmental-health Mapping Project
- Canadian Health Infoway
- Public Health Agency of Canada,
- West Nile Virus Surveillance Information
- FluWatch
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for Public Health Practice
- Security and Privacy of Electronic Health Information: Risk Assessment Expert System
Resources & Tools
Vancouver Coastal Health GIS Capacity Building
This project will increase the use of geographic information systems (GIS) within the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA). This organization delivers health services to more than one million people-a quarter of B.C.'s population. The project will accomplish this objective through a variety of means:
- Creating a data warehouse that combines clinical and patient databases with census data; this step will help VCHA plan and administer services
- Adding GIS software to develop spatial and non-spatial analysis tools, aid site selection, and determine drive times between locations, among other applications
- Training VCHA personnel on how to integrate this new software into VCHA's existing GIS system and how to use the software
- Hosting stakeholder workshops to build GIS capacity and awareness
- Establishing a data directory structure and metadata standards to make it easier for users to find and share data
- Developing more-detailed boundaries of VCHA's Local Health Areas
- Customizing a GIS toolset for VCHA to improve its current GIS system
These outcomes will equip VCHA to make the kinds of informed decisions that help the organization optimally deliver care to its population and monitor and track diseases.
VCHA will use Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) standards in developing its GIS data repository, and the organization intends to contribute its findings and results to the CGDI for others to use as well.
GeoConnections is assisting public health organizations to use geospatially referenced information about health status and factors that affect health. These factors can be biological, behavioural, social, economic, or cultural. Organizations use this information to make correlations and identify priorities and strategies to improve and protect health and the factors that influence it. In addition, public health organizations are expanding their knowledge and use of geospatial information and tools, which helps organizations analyze and share information. This project is funded under the Population Health Surveillance GeoConnections priority area.
Primary Partner:
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority
Vancouver,
British Columbia;
Partners:
Fraser Health Authority
Provincial Health Service Authority
Vancouver Island Health Authority
Interior Health Authority
MOH
Information Management Information Systems
Public Health Surveillance Unit
Population Health B.C.
Vancouver Community
Coastal Health Services
Richmond Health Services
Decision Support Services, VCH
Funding From GeoConnections: $70,280.00 ( 38.89 %)
Estimated Inception Date: September, 2009
Estimated Completion Date: March, 2010
Deliverables from this project benefitted the following provinces: British Columbia;