Making community health information as useful as weather data

Making community health information as useful as weather data

Open health data from Health and Human Services is driving more than 20 new apps.

by Alex Howard | @digiphile | Comment |  2 June 2010

The chief technology office of Health and Human Services, Todd Park, is fond of using the National Ocean and Oceanographic Association (NOAA) as a metaphor for the innovation that may be unlocked through releasing public data. NOAA data underpins Weather.com and nearly every commercial meteorological service in the United States. Park has been working closely with other government officials and the technology community to put community healthcare data into a parallel role as a catalyst for innovation. In other words, HHS is creating a framework for government to act as a platform through the Community Health Data Initiative./.../