The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63765

Paul Kuehnert, MS, RN, Director, Division of Disease Control, State of Maine, State House Station 11, Augusta, ME 04333-0011, 207-287-5179, Paul.Kuehnert@state.me.us and Judy Lloyd Storfjell, Public Health Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 4720 E. Hillcrest Drive, Berrien Springs, MI 49103.

Recognizing that a strong public health infrastructure is essential to the successful implementation of bioterrorism (BT) initiaves, the state of Maine used a logic model approach to identify the desired outcomes, necessary functions and required competencies for a state-of-the-art epidemiology program. Critical functions were identified and epidemiology staff took the leadership in defining priorities. As a result, an innovative decentralized epidemiology structure was developed that moved resources closer to the community in order to enhance coordination at the local level, resulting in improved reporting, earlier detection and rapid, coordinated response to potential infectious disease events. In addition, a medical epidemiology resource groupo was developed to change the focus from reactive, episodic management of disease reports, to a proactive integrated epidemiology system corssing all health department programs. Competency-based individaul action plans were used to facilitate the transition. Operational systems were upgraded and streamlined to support efficiency and effectiveness, and a systematic formative evaluation process, including an epi scorecard, was initiated for continual feedback and improvement.

Learning Objectives:

• To discuss an innovative decentralized epidemiolgy structure that provides a foundation for the developmentlocal public health infrastructure and proactive centralized supports.
• To describe the application of a logic model approach to coordinated planning and evaluation of complex and inter-related BT initiatives.
• To discuss various management tools the facilitated the implementation of an extensive BT change project.

Keywords: Infrastructure, Bioterrorism

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Maine Bureau of Health
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: employee--Director of the Division of Disease Control