Using Information Systems to Improve a Mid-Sized Local Health Department's Effectiveness in a Time of Rapid Change.
BACKGROUND
Informatics capacity building is resource and personnel intensive. Many local health departments (LHDs) face tradeoffs between using their resources to carry out existing mandates and using resources to build their capacity, for example, through informatics, to deliver essential services in a more effective and efficient manner.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this case study is to describe how a mid-sized LHD built and used information systems to support its strategic objectives, clinical services, and surveillance.


METHODS
The mid-sized LHD described here was chosen for its "best practices" in informatics capacity building and use by NACCHO's study advisory committee. To conduct the case study, authors reviewed departmental documents and conducted semistructured interviews with key informants in the agency. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, thematically coded, and analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings from the case study suggest that including capacity building in informatics as a strategic priority is one of the most effective ways to ensure that informatics are assessed, updated, and included in resource decisions. Leadership at all levels is critical to the successful implementation of informatics as is proactive partnership with community partners who have overlapping goals. The efficiency and effectiveness of LHDs rely on informatics capacity, especially when resources are challenged.
Department of Public Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Dr Lovelace); and Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro (Dr Shah).
Kay
K
Lovelace
Gulzar H
GH
Shah
Health Serv Res. 2014 Feb;49(1 Pt 2):373-91
24359636
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2013 May-Jun;19(3):231-9
22759985
MMWR Suppl. 2012 Jul 27;61(3):20-4
22832993
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2016 Mar-Apr;22(2):110-9
26808685
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2015 Jan-Feb;21(1):12-7
25414951
Am J Prev Med. 2015 Sep;49(3):380-6
25997902
Front Public Health. 2016 Feb 16;4:21
26909344
Public Health Rep. 2016 Mar-Apr;131(2):272-82
26957662
Am J Public Health. 2013 Sep;103(9):1560-7
23865646
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2015 Nov-Dec;21 Suppl 6:S102-10
26422478
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2000 Nov;6(6):67-75
18019962
Am J Prev Med. 2015 Dec;49(6):980-3
26590943
Am J Public Health. 2015 Dec;105(12):2526-33
26469657
Perspect Health Inf Manag. 2014 Oct 01;11:1c
25593569
JMIR Med Inform. 2014 Sep 30;2(2):e26
25600635
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2016 Mar-Apr;22(2):149-56
25851799
Online J Public Health Inform. 2015 Jul 01;7(2):e216
26392846
J Public Health Manag Pract. 2014 Jan-Feb;20(1):57-60
24322688
PLoS One. 2015 Oct 05;10(10):e0139701
26437454