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Without data, managing the health of the communities would be near impossible for local health departments.  It also is, of course, an obvious fact that electronic health records are a key source of health data and can provide some greatly needed elements for analysis of population health.
 

By combining EHR data with a visualization tool, such as GIS health mapping system, health departments can quickly and easily assess the health status of their communities. This information could also be incorporated within their community health needs assessment to improve population health performance.
 

With de-identified health data, extracted from the EHR software, public health departments can better monitor and control the severity of outbreaks, the triggers of health issues, as well as the location of the triggers.  With this data they can also understand the risk profiles of the communities and identify at-risk community members.
 

Managing population health has become a top priority in the ever changing healthcare landscape.  This focus has also become a main driver that influences public health departments and other healthcare agencies, such as community health centers and FQHCs, to transition to a new EHR system that will better accommodate the needs of population health management and improvements for the future.