Quality Improvement Initiatives

Introduction

• The American Public Health Association (APHA) has been advancing quality improvement in both health care delivery and public health and has been on the forefront of ensuring quality in public health systems through its standards setting texts, education programs, and policies that promote quality improvement in a range of public health systems. Most recently, APHA has participated with its key partners to promote the National Public Health Performance Standards Program(NPHPSP), the accreditation of public health agencies, and the certification of graduate trained public health workers.
• APHA is committed to promoting quality improvements in public health systems in a comprehensive way across the nation. This effort is in keeping with the recent consensus statement developed by the Public Health Quality Forum (PHQF) under the leadership of the Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), U.S. Department of Human Services (HHS). View the Statement on Quality in the Public Health System.
• The PHQF defines quality as follows:
  
  Quality in public health is the degree to which policies, programs, services and research for the population increase desired health outcomes and conditions in which the population can be healthy.
• More recently, the newly appointed Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. Howard Koh, in support of these efforts remarked that: "A fundamental function of the public health system is to safeguard and improve the quality of health in America." Dr Koh released a statement on September 21, 2009 entitled "Quality in the Public Health System".  Dr. Koh announced that a strategic partnership has been established with APHA to ensure that the public health leadership is actively engaged in quality improvement. Dr. Koh's complete statement can be viewed on www.hhs.gov/ophs/

Expanding on Dr. Koh's "Vision for Public Health Quality", "Priority Areas for Improvement of Quality in Public Health"  was published by P. A. Honore and Wakina Scott,  U.S. Department of Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health November 2010. View the complete publication (PDF)

WHAT'S NEW

A Quality Improvement (QI) Certificate in public health is being offered by the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota beginning this fall (2011). This is a distance learning certificate offered via the internet. For more information view this PDF

• A Public Health Quality Brochure (PDF) 2011

APHA’s quality initiatives will include but are not limited to:

• National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP)
• National Public Health Leadership Development Network
• The 2010 National Public Health Leadership Annual meeting was held April 27-30 in Nebraska City, Nebraska.
• The conference, “Innovation 2010, Vision 2020” as reported by Magda Peck, the 2010 Chair, was the result of innovative, rigorous planning by NLN members and intensive partnering among NLN, PHLS and NPHLI. As in previous years, discussions focused around best practices, innovative approaches, and the changing governmental landscape – including health care reform. Unique to this conference was a full day special session to lay the foundation for the next decade of developing leadership for the public’s health.  Using methods of strategic collaboration (context mapping, World Café, Open Space Technology), the best of what is being done now in leadership development was identified to carry forward. Fresh ideas were generated for future work to build leadership capacity for the public’s health, and the design of specific strategies and initiatives to move the field forward were identified.
• The elected Chair for the 2011 year is: Jennie Mullin
• Leadership Development Efforts

The Council of Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice

Accreditation

• Why accreditation of public health agencies?

Acccreditation of public health agencies emphasizes quality improvement in public health practice.  

• In a study by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC)one finding indicated that improving capacity and quality of services were perceived as key benefits of accreditation.[1]  
• What organization is responsible for the accreditation of public health agencies?
• Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)

• The Public Accreditation Board was established in 2006 and incorporated in May of 2007 as a non-profit organization to promote and manage the national accreditation program for public health agencies.

• The Accreditation Coalition was created to help ensure the success of the Accreditation effort and to provide continuity and ongoing guidance.

• to promote national accreditation efforts of public health agencies and
• to advance a national public health agency accreditation program that will strengthen and improve the quality and performance of state, local, territorial, and tribal public health departments by providing a forum for public health stakeholder organizations to address and coordinate activities.

[1]

Dr. Kaye Bender, President and CEO of PHAB recently announced the launch of PHAB's public health accreditation beta test. Dr. Bender states that "The beta test represents a new chapter in our work to transform public health and, ultimately, make us a healthier nation. Starting now and running through the end of 2010, the beta test will provide the on-the-ground critical feedback we need to develop a successful accreditation program that serves all public health departments and advances the quality of public health."

NORC PN No. 6511.01.62 June 2008

• Karlene Baddy, MEd.
  Director, Public Health Systems and Partnerships
  Center for Professional Development Public Health Partnerships and Systems
  202-777-2494
  202-777-2530
  Email: karlene.baddy@apha.org

 Last updated: June 14, 2011