A Model for the Future of Public Health: Creating a Culture of Quality Within a Local Health Jurisdiction

A Model for the Future of Public Health: Creating a Culture of Quality Within a Local Health Jurisdiction.

The National Public Health Performance Standards Program's mission is to improve the quality of public health practice and performance of public health systems. In anticipation of these new and upcoming Public Health Standards, the Public Health QAC will serve as the lead in achieving the goal to promote continuous quality improvement of public health systems.

Solano County Public Health (SCPH) identified an opportunity to improve the quality of public health practice by enhancing and expanding the application of quality improvement principles and practices throughout all levels of its agency. SCPH seeks to institutionalize a culture of quality throughout all programs and services by the creation of a Quality Advisory Committee.

The creation of a Public Health Quality Advisory Committee (QAC) was the first step in institutionalizing a culture of quality. The development of the Public Health Quality Management Plan served as a road map for accomplishing this goal. Some efforts of the QAC include: 1) Creating an orientation program to include quality improvement principles and practices; 2) Orienting all Public Health staff on quality improvement principles and practices; 3) Developing a system for collecting feedback from public health customers and making related improvements; 4) Developing a system to provide ongoing advice to the development, implementation and evaluation of quality improvement projects; 5) Developing a system to oversee resource allocation to quality improvement activities; and 6) Promote the institutionalization of quality improvement principles and practices throughout public health through the creation of a Quality Management Plan.