Packaged Computer Programs for Local Health Departments

Abstract

THE AVAILABILITY of a computer to local health departments in city, county, or State data processing centers is partly responsible for the renewed interest in administrative statistics. Most divisions in local health departments prepare statistical reports. Many, however, do not compile the tabulations needed for program evaluation since the cost in personnel time to process the material is prohibitive. When the basic systems are organized for the desired tabulations, only minutes may be required for the computer to process the statistical reports. Rapid processing of data by the computer is not the only reason for the current interest in administrative statistics. Today's emphasis on chronic diseases and environmental health instead of the acute communicable diseases and basic sanitation of yesterday requires data that will assist in appraising the quality in addition to the quantity of services. The case count of communicable diseases no longer can be used to evaluate the services of the health department. In addition to the change in program emphasis, performance and program budgeting has been started in many areas. There is a need to show achievements by results and costs. Achievements in a specific phase of environmental health or in an area of chronic disease control are not mea,sured by total visits, services, complaints, or narrative reports illustrating community interest. The purposes of a special project of the University of California School of Public Health, supported by the Division of Community Health Services, Public Health Service, are to reconsider the objectives of health programs, to establish and test the criteria and standards for each program, and to install and examine the systems that are basic to obtaining service records. A demonstration center has been established in the Long Beach (Calif.) Department of Public Health to illustrate systems that aid in achieving the end product: useful re-cords and reports. The project was initiated in the department's division of environmental health at the request of Dr. I. D. Litwack, health officer of the department (1). Reports of each program in the division are processed monthly, quarterly, and annually by a computer. A report for a housing program has been outlined (see sample). Criteria and standards of value to administrators and supervisors of programs are obtained by interviewing directors of health departments and division chiefs and by reviewing current literature. Each item is studied for its value in administering programs and is incorporated in the statistical reports after appraisal by advisers (2). Planning is essential to the production of Miss Johnson is lecturer of preventive medicine and public health, University of California School of Public Health, Los Angeles.