Abstract
The Austrian National Public Health Institute (GÖG) started to develop the Austrian Health Information System (ÖGIS) by combining technology of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and common approaches of epidemiology in the early 1990ies. Today, ÖGIS is designed as a specific GIS-application, continuously maintained and developed further by in-house development within GÖG and accessible to all employees of GÖG as well as to interested external institutions and persons. ÖGIS covers all major data sources relevant to health, health determinants and the health care system in Austria. It is used for epidemiological research, health reporting, health services monitoring and research as well as for integrated planning of the health care system. After ÖGIS has proven itself as a useful support for implementation of the Public Health Action Cycle in Austria over many years, the maintenance of the ÖGIS databases will be continued and the employment of ÖGIS for purposes of regional health services research will be intensified in the upcoming years.