title: Improving service delivery in a county health department WIC clinic: an application of statistical process control techniques.
abstract: Local public health agencies are challenged to continually improve service delivery, yet they frequently operate with constrained resources. Quality improvement methods and techniques such as statistical process control are commonly used in other industries, and they have recently been proposed as a means of improving service delivery and performance in public health settings. We analyzed a quality improvement project undertaken at a local Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinic to reduce waiting times and improve client satisfaction with a walk-in nutrition education service. We used statistical process control techniques to evaluate initial process performance, implement an intervention, and assess process improvements. We found that implementation of these techniques significantly reduced waiting time and improved clients' satisfaction with the WIC service.
authors.affiliation: Dakota County Public Health Department, Apple Valley, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Debra Thingstad
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Boe
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Parsons
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008910:Minnesota; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods*; D014850:Waiting Lists