tremendous potential of GIS to benefit the health care industry

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Using GIS for Public Health
In 1854, an English physician, John Snow, provided the classic example of how mapping can be used in epidemiological research. He identified the water source responsible for an outbreak of cholera in London by mapping the locations of those afflicted. GIS has continued to be used in public health for epidemiological studies. By tracking the sources of diseases and the movements of contagions, agencies can respond more effectively to outbreaks of disease by identifying at-risk populations and targeting intervention.


The Business of Health Care Geographics
While health care professionals in the public health sector were early adopters of GIS and continue to find new and innovative uses for this technology, the use of GIS in the private health sector has grown substantially in the last decade. Private sector use now encompasses applications in marketing and business management as well as those concerned with patient care. These applications take into consideration the unique constraints under which the health care industry must operate.