Recorded presentation

James R. Bohland, PhD and Paula J. Pheley, RN. Institute for Community Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 108 Architecture Annex (0113), Blacksburg, VA 24060, 540-231-5517, jayjon@vt.edu

Population health is influenced by individual and community characteristics as well as quality and availability of services designed to impact health. In The Future of the Public’s Health in the 21st Century, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) identified the need for a strong public health infrastructure to protect and promote population health. It highlighted the importance of collaborative working relationships with communities, organizations, health care delivery systems, academia, business, and the media. The developing partners of the National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) echo the importance of networks of organizations and individuals impacting population health. The term “public health system” has been used to describe this network of partners and collaborators that expand the public health infrastructure. Evaluation of public health system performance using the local NPHPSP assessment instrument provides insight into the existence of these collaborative relationships. While the local assessment instrument provides information on the performance of public health agencies based on the ten “Essential Services of Public Health,” the impact of individual community (e.g., socioeconomic status of community and geographic location) and public health system characteristics (e.g., provision of 10 essential services and partnering with varied community organizations) on overall health has not been systematically explored. This presentation will draw together research findings evaluating differences in community and system characteristics that provide clues to improved public health system performance. Identification of important characteristics will allow public health administrators to create systems that better match local needs.

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

• Identify potential partners/collaborators in a public health system.
• Identify community characteristics that impact the choice of partners/collaborators in a public health system network.
• Evaluate the impact of community characteristics and network partners/collaborators on public health system performance.

Keywords: Health Departments, Performance Measures

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.

Recorded presentation