Understanding and defining the business processes and tasks is an important process in order to define efficiencies.  Moreover, business process analysis provides an optimal first step in setting forth requirements for health information systems that support key functions and activities of LHDs.  

It is imperative that LHDs understand their business processes in order to develop the core capacity and IT infrastructure necessary to adhere to the Operational Definition of a Local Public Health System and the 10 Essential Public Health Services, as well as current public health data standards, and data exchange requirements set forth by the CDC.

NACCHO's Public Health Inforamtics Workgroup has worked with the Public Health Informatics Institute to identify and map common local public health business processes.  The results of this research can be found in the following document - Taking Care of Business: A collaboration to define local health department business processes.