Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #120239

Nahad Sadr-Azodi, Center for Continuing Quality Improvement, Chicago Department of Public Health, 333 S. State Street, DePaul Center, Room 200, Chicago, IL 60657, 312/747-9750, sadrazodi_nahad@cdph.org

In the fall of 2003, the Chicago Department of Public Health established the Center for Continuing Quality Improvement (CQI) to coordinate and direct its efforts in response to "Are we making a difference?" and "How can we maximize our efforts to make a difference?" Realizing that the questions above further underlie the health department's capacity in assuring two essential services( Evaluating effectiveness, accessibility and quality of personal and population-based health services and Assuring a competent public and personal health care workforce), we studied the patterns, themes and the core elements of these services, and learned that the commonalities are evident in knowledge creation, sharing and application. In other words, in evaluation of "are we making a difference," accurate knowledge of the causes and distribution of health problems and of effective interventions are continually generated and shared and incorporated back into the system. Similarly, in "maximizing our efforts," a competent workforce constantly reinvents itself through contextualizing new information, learning and enhancing its skills, knowledge and performance. Therefore, leveraging our knowledge and learning is crucial in strategic thinking and continually improving and nourishing the quality, relevance and value proposition of our system.

Specifically, the Center for CQI has determined that its contribution to the overall value chain of the health department lies in improving project management capacity and enhancing the organizational infrastructure (communication, leadership, culture). Currently, we are piloting the Getting to Outcomes framework/ tool by Wandersman, et al, incorporating an Action-Learning type methodology. The purpose is to balance the tasks with learning, and build and ensure a culture conducive for knowledge creation and sharing. We are also collaborating closely with HRSA in developing the system's overall performance management capacity. Ultimately, as a Center and Department, with our partners, we strive to manage our tangible and intangible assets to strengthen our people and relationships and positively contribute to our customers' quality of life, in terms of assuring relief or peace of mind, confidence and faith in a fiscally and socially responsible government, as well as, innovation and access to affordable care and reduction of medical costs.

Learning Objectives:

• See session objectives

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation