# APIs Being Used for Public Health

**Author:** kinlane  
**Canonical:** https://apievangelist.com/2011/04/28/apis-being-used-for-public-health/

kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com ![](https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/apievangelist/foursquare/foursquare-health-api-usage.png)[Foursquare just highlighted an innovative use of their API](http://blog.foursquare.com/2011/04/28/api-highlight-check-in-and-save-yourself-from-a-stomachache/ "Foursquare API Innovation"), that alerts people to public health issues.

[DontEat.at](http://donteat.at/ "DontEat.at") is a service which merges city health code records with the [Foursquare API](https://developer.foursquare.com/ "Foursquare API") to warn people via text message, when they check into a restaurant that has recorded health code violations.

An excellent example of the power of APIs for mashing up data and providing real-time value that can even be used for the public good.