Abstract
The theme of this issue of the Journal – Transforming data into action to improve health delivery and outcomes – highlights for us the complexities involved with the management of health data and reminds us that it takes more than data collection to provide good health information to those who need it. The information age has enabled us to collect an enormous amount of data, but there is a burden associated with that data collection that does not always return a commensurate benefit. Health Information Managers are well aware of this burden as they are often at the forefront of data collection. Many of the contributors to this issue are involved in the transformation of data and clearly demonstrate the role that Health Information Managers can play in all aspects of the management of health data.

Abstract
The value of health data has been recognised for centuries. The ancient Greeks alluded to health data collection; for example, Plato mentions it in his theory of diseases, and reference to it can be found in later works by philosophers such as Rousseau. Historical records indicate health data were utilised in the 14th century for epidemiological purposes and health service planning during the bubonic plague. More recently, the collection of surveillance data on the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A strain identified swine flu outbreaks in 2009, enabling governments throughout the world to implement infection control strategies and public health awareness campaigns. At the recent 29th meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in Canberra, states and territories (with the exception of Western Australia) agreed to major health reform for Australia. The establishment of a National Health and Hospitals Network will see extensive changes to the delivery of healthcare in Australia. The theme of this issue of the Journal, titled Transforming data into action to improve health delivery and outcomes, is opportune, given that Australia is now entering a time of health reform.

Abstract
The field of collaborative health planning faces significant challenges created by the narrow focus of the available information, the absence of a framework to organise that information and the lack of systems to make information accessible and guide decision-making. These challenges have been magnified by the rise of the ‘healthy communities movement’, resulting in more frequent calls for localised, collaborative and evidence-driven health related decision-making. This paper discusses the role of decision support systems as a mechanism to facilitate collaborative health decision-making. The paper presents a potential information management framework to underpin a health decision support system and describes the participatory process that is currently being used to create an online tool for health planners using geographic information systems. The need for a comprehensive information management framework to guide the process of planning for healthy communities has been emphasised. The paper also underlines the critical importance of the proposed framework not only in forcing planners to engage with the entire range of health determinants, but also in providing sufficient flexibility to allow exploration of the local setting-based determinants of health.

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