title: [How to conduct public health surveillance? The example of the Observatoire Valaisan de la Santé in Switzerland].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the goals and methods of contemporary public health surveillance and to present the activities of the Observatoire Valaisan de la Santé (OVS), a tool unique in Switzerland to conduct health surveillance for the population of a canton.
  
  
  METHODS
  Narrative review and presentation of the OVS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Public health surveillance consists of systematic and continuous collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of health data necessary for public health planning. Surveillance is organized according to contemporary public health issues. Switzerland is currently in an era dominated by chronic diseases due to ageing of the population. This "new public health" era is also characterized by the growing importance of health technology, rational risk management, preventive medicine and health promotion, and the central role of the citizen/patient. Information technologies provide access to new health data, but public health surveillance methods need to be adapted. In Switzerland, health surveillance activities are conducted by several public and private bodies, at federal and cantonal levels. The Valais canton has set up the OVS, an integrative, regional, and reactive system to conduct surveillance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Public health surveillance provides information useful for public health decisions and actions. It constitutes a key element for public health planning.
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiolero
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paccaud
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fornerod
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics; D008875:Middle Aged; D062486:Public Health Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D013557:Switzerland