Robert L. Phillips, Jr., MD MSPH, Michael L. Parchman, MD, Thomas J. Miyoshi, MSW
Geographically locating patients to understand access to care and potential influences on health is not a new concept in primary care. However, it is only the more recent advances geographic information systems (GIS) that have made this process more accessible and robust for primary care. In this paper, we describe briefly some key steps in the integration of GIS in primary care research, and summarize an effort to use GIS for improving access to a community health center (CHC). given the relative universality of such data collection from CHCs nation-wide and recent political commitment to doubling the capacity of CHCs over the next five years, we suggest options for developing centralized processes for evaluating CHC service areas and local unmet health care access needs.
Presented at ESRI's First Annual International Health GIS Conference, Washington, DC
