207673 Enhancing Efficiency and Increasing Productivity of the Public Health Workforce Despite Funding Shortfalls: Incorporating project management instruction and skills practice into a comprehensive training program for new supervisors

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 11:10 AM

Emily Peach, MPH, CHES , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Lisa Montgomery, MPH , Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA
Carolyn Vizmanos, PHN, MSN;MPH(c) , Office of Organizational Development and Training, County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Cherie R. Forsha, RN, MSN/MPH, CNS , Organizational Development and Training, County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Ava Cato-Werhane, MPH, CHES , Office of Organizational Development and Training, County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Noel Bazini-Barakat, RN, MSN, MPH , Office of Organizational Development and Training, Los Angeles County, Department of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Background/Purpose: In the United States, statistics show that public and private organizations spend approximately $145 billion on failed and mismanaged projects each year. Research also suggests that of the $62.5 billion these agencies are spending to train and develop employees, only about $10 billion is spent on project management training. As Los Angeles County Department of Public Health's funding sources continue to decline, we must train our workforce to do more with less. This presentation will highlight the organizational and workforce impacts of implementing a project management training program. The purpose of this training is to educate the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health workforce on project management practices. Methods: Key methods include: internal project planning; stakeholder interviews; target audience identification; curricula research and development; content development; course processes design; course pilot group testing; marketing; tracking; and evaluation. Results/Outcome: The course compliance goal is to train a minimum of 75 supervisors with a posttest completion score of 80 percent or higher by August 30th, 2009. Course evaluation analysis is used to assess the overall course impact and process. Course modifications are made accordingly through participant feedback and evaluation analysis. Conclusion: In times when funding sources are dwindling yet the demand for services is soaring, the public health workforce must adapt and develop ways to become more efficient and effective. Providing staff with training on project management fundamentals is a cost-effective foundation to increased organizational effectiveness.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to: Explain the best practices around the use of formal project management methodology to both organize and run small and large scale projects in a government setting. Explain how project management instruction and skills practice fits within the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s Leadership Framework and New Supervisor Development Program. List and describe at least 2 organizational and financial benefits of formal project management training within a large local public health infrastructure.

Keywords: Professional Training, Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Leadership Coordinator for the Los Angeles County Department Of Public Office Of Organizational Development and Training's Leadership Unit. While serving in this position, I have been involved in the research, development, and implementation of the Introduction to Project Management curriculum. I am also the project manager for the New Supervisor Development Program that has incorporated project management training into the curriculum.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.