The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49880

Robert McKenna, MS, CHES¹, M. Terry Hogan, MPH², Cathy Mosley, RN, BSN³, Robert Coppola, MA¹, Daryn Eikner, MS¹, and Taalibah Kariem-White¹. (1) TRAINING 3, Family Planning Council, 260 South Broad Street, Suite 1000, Philadelphia, PA 19102, 215 985 2640, Rob@familyplanning.org, (2) Region III STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore City Health Department, 210 Guilford Avenue, 3rd floor, Baltimore, MD 21202, (3) Division of Public Health, Delaware Health and Social Services, Jesse Cooper Building, Federal and Water Streets, Dover, DE 19901

Have reproductive health providers been using the wrong approach to improving service delivery? Training is often the first approach, and usually the most expensive, used to improve provider performance, and therefore service delivery. Yet training is “the right answer” only when the performance is less than desired due to lack of knowledge and/or skill. Performance improvement is a comprehensive, systematic approach to improving performance that considers environment, culture, management, policy, learning, organization, and a multitude of other performance-related systems. This presentation explores the performance improvement methodology throughout three assessment phases as applied to a statewide performance improvement process in an effort to assist with integrating state-supported family planning and STD services and patient records. The assessment is a complete investigation into all staff performance-related needs and prioritizes the areas of risk-reduction counseling, partner referral, and adherence to treatment protocols. Data was collected working with all levels of reproductive health staff and methods included key informant interviews, focus groups, surveys, chart documentation reviews, patient flow observations, and document analysis. Findings present performance gaps, their causes, and recommended interventions.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Recognize the benefit of performance improvement as an approach to improving reproductive health service delivery.
• Describe three phases of a reproductive health performance improvement needs assessment.
• Identify interventions that can assist STD and family planning programs with integrating services.

Keywords: Reproductive Health, Training

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.