Implementing Public Health Performance Improvement in Virginia

This session will discuss steps taken to improve performance in terms of better or more efficient services, capacities or outcomes. Particular emphasis will be given to successes and lessons learned, highlighting specific improvement strategies and the role of leadership. As a recipient of the NPHII grant, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) developed a strong foundation for agency wide performance improvement. VDH developed a dashboard system for monitoring agency-wide operations, completed initial performance assessments with senior management, established a performance improvement council, developed a performance improvement methodology and initiated work on three separate performance improvement projects which have already identified significant potential fiscal savings, improved administrative efficiency and expanded and improved the delivery of key health services to help reduce unintended pregnancies, reduce induced termination of pregnancies and expand local health district capacity to serve its population. In each case, the PIM utilized the network as an effective resource to garner ideas and solicit best practices.