Application of Geographical Information System and Interactive Data Visualization in Healthcare Decision Making

Abstract

This paper focuses on two techniques and their applications in healthcare systems: geographic information system (GIS) and interactive data visualization. GIS is a type of technique applied to manipulate, analyze and display spatial information. It is a useful tool tackling location related problems. GIS applications in healthcare include evaluation of accessibility to healthcare facilities, site planning of new healthcare services and analysis of risks and spreads of infectious diseases. Interactive data visualization is a collection of techniques translating data from its numeric format to graphic presentation dynamically for easy understanding and visual impact. Compared to conventional static data visualization techniques, interactive data visualization techniques allow user to self-explore the entire data set by instant slice and dice, quick switching among multiple data sources. Adjustable granularity of interactive data visualization allows for both detailed micro information and aggregated macro information displayed in a single chart. Animated transition adds extra visual impact that describes how system transits from one state to another. When applied to healthcare system, interactive visualization techniques are useful in areas such as information integration, flow or trajectory presentation and location related visualization, etc. One area both techniques intersect is location analysis. In this paper, real life case studies will be given to illustrate how these two techniques, when combined together, help in solving quantitative or qualitative location related problem, visualizing geographical information and accelerating decision making procedures.