Leveraging technology to manage and conduct food inspections

Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services (HCPHES) have embraced the concept of efficiency improvements throughout the organization, one of which is leveraging technology within the food inspections.  With the geographic hurdles, rapid growth in food establishments and data entry requirements, HCPHES needed to make food inspections easier and more efficient as well as have better reporting and analytical data for managers to use. 

HCPHES utilized the current systems in place as well as bring in a new platform to minimize overall cost yet maximize efficiencies through ease of use, reduction in down time, reduction in mobilization and demobilization within each food establishment, and add a robust analytical section for both the Investigators and the Managers. 

There were both tangible and intangible outcomes from this endeavor.  Inspection times have been reduced thru the ease of use, consistent connectivity, and speed of the system.  This gives each Investigator, in addition to the Manager, the ability to monitor workload without pulling reports and having to review on a periodic basis.  It also has added a peer review situation that has promoted awareness of work output to make sure everyone is doing the work they should be doing.  The new design has made a positive impact making it a more positive experience with reduced stress.

Not only was this endeavor successful, it was not as costly as most major software modifications.  Because we used our existing technologies and added another platform, we were able to have a robust program at a minimal cost.