Year: 2011
Funding: Research Acceleration & Capacity Expansion Supplement (RACE)
Status: Completed
Overview
The Nebraska PBRN makes use of the state’s recently developed regional public health structure to assess and compare readiness for accreditation among regional health departments and single-county health departments within the state, and to examine the utility of quality improvement (QI) strategies implemented by health departments in preparing for accreditation. The study analyzes self-assessed performance data collected from all local health departments through the state’s Local Health Department Standards and Measures tool. Combining these data with the newly released PHAB accreditation standards, the study examines performance variation across agencies and estimates agency readiness for the PHAB accreditation process, with a specific focus on differences in readiness between regional and single-county agencies. Additionally, the study links performance data with newly collected data from an ongoing study of local health department engagement in QI strategies (a PBRN Quick Strike study) to examine the extent to which agencies are implementing QI activities in areas where gaps in performance exist. Site visit interviews in selected regional health department sites explore the relationship between QI implementation and readiness for accreditation in regional health departments. Findings will provide useful insight into the implementation of QI and accreditation initiatives for public health agencies nationwide.
Publications
- Relationship Between Quality Improvement Implementation and Accreditation Seeking in Local Health Departments (AJPH, April 2015)
- Quality Improvement and Accreditation Strategies in Nebraska’s Regional Local Health Departments (Research Brief, February 2013)
- Comparison between the Public Health Accreditation Board Standards and Measures Version 1.0 and the Public Health Association of Nebraska Standards and Measures (Research Brief, February 2013)
- The Relationship between Quality Improvement and Accreditation in Nebraska’s Local Health Departments (Research Brief, April 2013)
Presentations
- Examining the Relationship between Quality Improvement and Accreditation Strategies for Regional Local Health Departments in Nebraska (March 2013)
- Quality Improvement and Accreditation Strategies in Regional Local Health Departments in Nebraska (Keeneland Conference, April 2013)
Research Areas
Contact
David Palm, Ph.D.
david.palm@nebraska.gov
Li Wu Chen, Ph.D.
liwuchen@uncmc.edu