title: Early evaluation results from a statewide quality improvement training program for local public health departments in North Carolina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many state and local public health agencies have developed accreditation systems and are utilizing quality improvement (QI) methods and tools to improve the public health infrastructure. Development of strategies to support and build the capacity of the public health workforce to apply QI can help advance these efforts.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article describes the adaptation and creation of a standardized QI training program for local health departments (LHDs), explores the effectiveness of the program in increasing the confidence of the LHD staff to apply QI methods and tools, and discusses lessons learned from the first cohort of the program.
  
  
  METHODS
  An existing program designed for health care professionals was pilot tested, adapted, and used in 8 LHDs. A formative evaluation of the new public health QI training program was conducted through a hybrid internal and external evaluation model. Pre/postsurveys were used to measure participant satisfaction and the capacity of LHD staff to conduct QI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Staff from 8 LHDs successfully completed the program and 94% of participants reported that they were satisfied with the overall training program. Seventy percent of participants reported a higher perceived confidence in conducting a QI project, and all participants reported sharing QI tools and methods with their coworkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that QI training programs using methods and tools previously applied in health care and other industries can be successfully adapted to public health. Although additional studies are needed to validate the results, this training model can be used to inform future work in developing a standardized QI training program in public health.
authors.affiliation: North Carolina Center for Public Health Quality, Raleigh, North Carolina 27619, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cornett
authors.forename: Monecia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Mary V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mahanna
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cordova
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.forename: C Suzanne
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.forename: Lisa Macon
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Greg D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Randolph
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D003625:Data Collection; D040381:Education, Public Health Professional; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009657:North Carolina; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement