ABSTRACT
Few people dispute the need for data as a basic requisite for the development of policy in every area of our national life, whether it be health, defense, agriculture, transportation, welfare or any other. In this chapter, the authors show that some of the problems, concerns, and obstacles they face in the further development of health data for policy and planning. Before getting into specifics, it may be useful to outline the current scope of health statistics and the authorities under which the National Center for Health Statistics operates. The Cooperative Health Statistics System is designed to provide the framework for a coalition among the various levels of government and the private sector for the production of health statistics. The Committee is the primary outside advisory group on matters of health statistics to the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary for Health.
