title: Advances in public health accreditation readiness and quality improvement: evaluation findings from the National Public Health Improvement Initiative.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Continuous quality improvement is a central tenet of the Public Health Accreditation Board's (PHAB) national voluntary public health accreditation program. Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the National Public Health Improvement Initiative (NPHII) in 2010 with the goal of advancing accreditation readiness, performance management, and quality improvement (QI).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate the extent to which NPHII awardees have achieved program goals.
  
  
  METHODS
  NPHII awardees responded to an annual assessment and program monitoring data requests. Analysis included simple descriptive statistics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies receiving NPHII funds.
  
  
  METHODS
  NPHII performance improvement managers or principal investigators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Development of accreditation prerequisites, completion of an organizational self-assessment against the PHAB Standards and Measures, Version 1.0, establishment of a performance management system, and implementation of QI initiatives to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 73 responding NPHII awardees, 42.5% had a current health assessment, 26% had a current health improvement plan, and 48% had a current strategic plan in place at the end of the second program year. Approximately 26% of awardees had completed an organizational PHAB self-assessment, 72% had established at least 1 of the 4 components of a performance management system, and 90% had conducted QI activities focused on increasing efficiencies and/or effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NPHII appears to be supporting awardees' initial achievement of program outcomes. As NPHII enters its third year, there will be additional opportunities to advance the work of NPHII, compile and disseminate results, and inform a vision of high-quality public health necessary to improve the health of the population.
authors: Office for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia (Ms McLees and Drs Thomas, Nawaz, and Young); National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, Louisiana (Dr Rider); and North Carolina Institute for Public Health, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Dr Davis).
authors: Anita W
authors: AW
authors: McLees
authors: Craig W
authors: CW
authors: Thomas
authors: Saira
authors: S
authors: Nawaz
authors: Andrea C
authors: AC
authors: Young
authors: Nikki
authors: N
authors: Rider
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Davis
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. / Q000592:standards; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D009111:Local Government; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000592:standards*; D013219:State Government; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States