title: Quality management as knowledge sharing: experiences of the Napa County Health and Human Services Agency.
abstract: Lacking a coordinated effort in utilizing data and tracking program outcomes, one agency developed a Quality Management (QM) division to facilitate and manage more effective data use. To support this process, the agency sought to develop a collective, agency-wide understanding and investment in improving and measuring client outcomes. Similarly, the agency also focused efforts on creating a culture of transparency and accountability, with goals of improving service, increasing agency integrity, meeting regulatory compliance, and engaging in effective risk management. Operationalizing the QM initiative involved developing procedures, systems, and guidelines that would facilitate the generation of reliable and accurate data that could be used to inform program change and decision-making. This case study describes this agency's experience in successfully creating and implementing a QM initiative aimed at engaging in greater knowledge sharing.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA. lharrison@berkeley.edu
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D002140:California; D003142:Communication; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D058436:Knowledge Management; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012308:Risk Management; D012946:Social Welfare; D012947:Social Work / Q000458:organization & administration*