An epidemiological model applied to planning and evaluation of local health department services

Utilizing epidemiological methods in the planning process, the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, focuses on community-based and patient-based standards. These standards are identified and applied in the evaluation of local health department programs. Emphasis is first on prevention, taking into consideration life style, environment, health systems, and biological factors, in developing objectives from which these standards are derived. The evaluation process is based on sampling techniques to obtain patient data and vital statistics for community data. The success of this model is a function of decentralization.