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This blog is Wisconsin's gathering place for resources, news and conversation around health department quality and accreditation. Join in by clicking on "comments" and sharing your ideas.

Domain A Month 10



On Monday, March 4th at 11 AM we will review Domain 10 - "Contribute to and apply the evidence base of public health."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking below:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/6k7l5knj6s2

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Domain A Month #9 Reminder

 

On Monday, February 4th at 11 AM we will review Domain 9 - "Evaluate and continuously improve health department processes, programs, and interventions."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking below:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/b3nle6wqrlbr

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Domain A Month #9

 

On Monday, February 4th at 11 AM we will review Domain 9 - "Evaluate and continuously improve health department processes, programs, and interventions."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking below:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/b3nle6wqrlbr

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Accreditation Support Mentoring Program Q and A


Q:  We are considering applying for the accreditation mentoring grant. Will this be offered again later in 2013? 

A:  This is a one-time project funded for the December 2012 to May, 2013 period.

Q:  If we are selected as a mentee, what will the coaching/relationship explicitly look like?  Would it be possible to have of a facilitator to help with our strategic planning process; would this program give us the opportunity to go through the planning process with the help of the mentor, or would we more than likely need to bring in an outside facilitator?

A:  The mentor agency will not be able to facilitate a strategic planning process. The coaching will focus on organizing for PHAB application. It will include one to two in-person meetings and regular contacts by email and phone.  In addition, a monthly teleconference involving the three mentor and three mentee health departments will be held.


Additional questions can be directed to Tracy Mrochek, IWHI Performance Program Lead, at tlmrochek@gmail.com


Applications are due by 5pm on January 4th and can be found with a project description here

 

Accreditation Support in the New Year!

 

IWHI will be receiving funding from the CDC’s Office of State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support, through the National Association of County & City Health Officials Accreditation Support Initiative for a project that will run from January through May 2013. There are two components:

 
1) An accreditation application mentoring opportunity which offers three "mentee" departments one-on-one coaching from a Wisconsin health department that has already applied for PHAB accreditation. 

Download more information by clicking here

2) A two-day, "Beyond the Plan" Summit for teams from health departments that are committed to pursuing accreditation. An April 2013 date is TBD so stay tuned to the blog for more information. 
 

Public Health Accreditation Stocking Stuffers


For your viewing pleasure this holiday season, IWHI has produced a series of five short videos highlighting local governing board perspectives on public health accreditation. These videos share the thoughts of governing board members from LaCrosse County, Oneida County and West Allis as their health departments move toward accreditation.

We hope that these videos can serve as a helpful resource as you explore public health accreditation in 2013 and beyond.

Happy Holidays!

 

Governing Board Perspectives on Public Health Accreditation


Video #1 - An Overview


Video #2 - Pursuing Accreditation 


Video #3 - The Accreditation Process


Video #4 - Impact on the Governing Board


Video #5 - Your Health Department's Future 

 

 

 

Domain A Month #9

On Monday, December 3rd at 11 AM we will review Domain 9 - "Evaluate and continuously improve health department processes, programs, and interventions"  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking below:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/eau3m70h5g06

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Domain A Month #8 - Reminder


On Monday, November 5th at 11 AM we will review Domain 8 - "Maintain a competent public health workforce."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking below:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/3f5388q0wf07

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Cherokee Nation's Journey Toward Tribal Public Health Accreditation


On October 2nd, IWHI had the pleasure of hosting Laura Sawnee-Spencer, MPH, CPH Manager of Public Health Project/Performance Improvement Manager for the Healthy Nation Department of Cherokee Nation.  Laura gave a presentation on her department's journey toward Tribal public health accreditation and shared a beautiful digital story with our attendees.  We encourage you to watch the archived recording of the webinar by clicking here and the digital story above. Finally, we would like to extend a special thank you to Laura for sharing her time and talents with us!

 

Polk County - Measuring Improvement


Those that are knee deep in performance management know that you can’t measure everything, but you need to measure the most important things.  It is important to measure progress, even if it is “inch by inch”.  According to Polk County, “If what is being done doesn’t lead to a better outcome, then we shouldn’t be doing it…we need to get the best bang for our buck…and show that public health is worth the bang for the buck.”  

The first step identified by Polk County is to make sure that your staff understands performance management and how to make it relevant for their programing.  Challenges that health departments may face are finding good data and making sure that staff members know that the program as a whole is being evaluated.   But there challenges are not insurmountable.  The keys, according to Polk County, are: keeping things fun, repetition of performance management concepts, setting realistic time frames, keeping an open mind, involving partners (internal and external), and understanding that the process takes time. 

Do you have additional suggestions for better engaging staff members in performance management? Please comment below! 

 

Unlock Your Agency's Potential

Download this brochure to review new public health quality services and pricing for local health departments.

Public Health Quality Services Brochure

 

Domain A Month #8 - "Maintain a competent public health workforce"


On Monday, November 5th at 11 AM we will review Domain 8 - "Maintain a competent public health workforce."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking below:

https://cc.readytalk.com/r/3f5388q0wf07

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Polk County - Quality Improvement First


You don’t need to bend over backwards to work on accreditation, just start on one piece at a time.

Polk County’s Recommendation: Work on Quality Improvement First

When talking with the Polk County Health Department leaders about pursuing accreditation, one of the recommendations that stood out was their advice to first begin work on Quality Improvement (Domain 9).  They readily admit that when they originally put together a QI team, it fizzled.  They also ran into challenges dedicating time to the accreditation process, providing the required documentation, and gathering program data.  However, after reenergizing, beginning monthly meetings, and looking at performance management for each program, staff members began to see the benefits.  Benefits included a more efficient agency, a clearer view of where they wanted to go, active use of QI, being more conscious of reviewing and updating policies, becoming closer to internal partners, and receiving positive feedback from external partners. 

Brian Kaczmarski, Polk County Liaison Specialist said that it is important for agencies to “have a person from each program involved from the very beginning.”  This helps build buy-in by holding members of the team accountable for improvements.  According to Brian, “It is a journey of how we can make it better, more efficient.”

Do any of you have tips to share of how to create a culture of QI? Please share them by commenting below! 

 

Tribal Public Health Accreditation Forum - October 11th: Update

 

The final agenda for our upcoming Tribal Accreditation forum on Thursday, October 11th at the Forest County Potawatomi Health and Wellness Center is now available:

Final Agenda

Have you registered? Our registration deadline has been extended to Friday, October 5th at 5pm.  If you haven't registered yet, please do so by clicking this link: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JL6BNXF

If you planning on staying overnight, there is a block of rooms available at the Best Western Crandon at the State rate.  To book one of these rooms, reference the Institute for Wisconsin's Health tribal forum.

Directions to the Health and Wellness Center can be found here: http://goo.gl/maps/zTmwU

We hope to see you in Crandon!

 

Polk County - Hitting the Submit Button


Polk County, along with the Wood County and West Allis Health Departments, recently hit the submit button. For those of you new to accreditation lingo, this means that they have submitted all of their required documentation to be reviewed for completeness prior to a site visit.  CONGRATULATIONS!  We wish you all success!

Recently we had the opportunity to visit Polk County and talk with them about what “hitting the submit button” means for them.  According to Polk County it comes down to having a standardized practice and additional opportunities to focus on key areas that need attention.   What would hitting the submit button mean to your agency?

Reminder:  Polk County will be responding to any questions or comments you have. Please share your thoughts questions and opinions by entering them in the comments section below.

 

Domain A Month #7 Reminder


On Monday, October 1st at 11 AM we will review Domain 7 - "Promote strategies to improve access to health care services."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking HERE.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Polk County's Accreditation Journey


Over the next three weeks we will be featuring Polk County in a series of posts about their journey toward accreditation.  These entries will highlight Polk County's approach to the accreditation process, quality improvement, and performance management, and will encourage others to share their experiences, thoughts, and questions about the process.

Members of the Polk County team will be responding to any questions or comments you have, right here on the blog.  Just click on "comments" at the bottom of each post to share your thoughts and experiences. 

Thank you to the team at Polk County who helped us develop this content: Gretchen Sampson, Health Officer; Mary Boe, MJC Tobacco Program Coordinator; and Brian Kaczmarski, Director Western Wisconsin Public Health Readiness Consortium.

Next week's topic:  Hitting the Submit Button

 

Domain A Month #7 - "Promote Strategies to improve access to health care services"



On Monday, October 1st at 11 AM we will review Domain 7 - "Promote strategies to improve access to health care services."  

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking HERE.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Tribal Public Health Accreditation Forum - October 11th


Fall is just around the corner and the Institute for Wisconsin's Health and Forest County Potawatomi are hosting a tribal accreditation forum at the Forest County Potawatomi Health and Wellness Center in Crandon, WI from 8:15 to 2:30 on Thursday, October 11th.

We invite you to join us for an open discussion about tribal public health accreditation and quality. Please take a look at our draft agenda to get an idea of the specific topics we will be talking about and how the day will flow.

A light snack will be provided in the morning and a full lunch for all attendees will be served at noon. For those of you staying overnight, there is a block of rooms available at the Best Western Crandon on the evening of October 10th.  To reserve a room, please call (715) 478-4000 and reference the "Institute for Wisconsin's Health Tribal Forum."

Please register by October 3rd at 5pm by clicking here and stay tuned to the blog for the final agenda.  

If you have any questions, or need technical assistance, please contact me at 608-338-6103, or by email.

See you in Crandon!

 

The Cherokee Nation’s Journey to Achieve Tribal Public Health Accreditation



Join us for a webinar/discussion with Laura Sawney-Spencer MPH, CPH Manager of Public Health Project / Performance Improvement Manager, Healthy Nation Department of Cherokee Nation on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 11 a.m.

Hear about the journey that the Cherokee Nation is taking towards accreditation.

Purpose:  Discuss Tribal public health accreditation, emphasizing the experience of the Cherokee Nation.

Objectives:

  1. Relate the benefits of accreditation to your Tribal public health system.
  2. Describe the process being used by the Cherokee Nation to prepare for public health accreditation.
  3. Identify the benefits and challenges the Cherokee Nation has encountered when pursuing accreditation.

Register Now
 

Domain A Month #6 Reminder


On Monday, September 10th at 11 AM we will review Domain 6 - “Enforce Public Health Laws”

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Train the QI Leader Workshop a Success

On August 2nd, IWHI hosted a Train the QI Leader Workshop at the Aldo Leopold Foundation.  Attendees worked with our QI consultants to explore QI tools and strategies, and shared their experiences with QI projects.  We had great participation from everyone involved and even had some fun!  

Check out the pictures from the workshop and comment below about different QI tools that you’ve used.  Which have you liked or found challenging?  How have they been helpful?


 

 


Thank you to everyone who helped make the August 2nd Train the QI Leader workshop at the Aldo Leopold Foundation a success!

 

NIATx Resources



At our August 2nd Train the QI Leader Workshop, groups used the NIATx project change form during a rapid cycle improvement exercise. A number of participants asked for this form to be made available, so we have uploaded it to our resources sidebar under QI References and Tools.  

If you would like to learn more about NIATx and their potential training opportunities please take a look at their website and upcoming regional training schedule.

 

Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 Dashboard




Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 Dashboard 

Green Lake County has created a spreadsheet for tracking their programs related to Healthiest Wisconsin 2020.  We have placed a link to the file in our WIQI resource sidebar under Performance Management.  

Special thanks to Kathy Munsey and Shawn Wayne (Green Lake's summer AHEC student) for developing and sharing this tool!

 

August 2nd Registration Closed

As of this morning, we've reached our limit for the August 2nd Train the QI Expert workshop at the Aldo Leopold Foundation and registration has been closed.  For those of you who registered, we will be sending out copies of the final agenda and powerpoint to you by July 30th.  For those of you who were not able to register, we hope that you stay connected and keep on the lookout for future trainings.

 

Quality Improvement Call For Proposals



The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) has announced a new Call For Proposals (CFP) for the second round of their QI Award Program.  NNPHI will award successful applicants with $5,000 and 15 hours of Quality Improvement assistance from an experienced QI coach in order to conduct a QI project that results in measurable change.

For more information on the CFP, please click here.  You can also download an MS Word copy of the award announcement here.

 

Train the QI Leader Workshop - Preliminary Agenda



Please follow the link below to access a copy of the preliminary agenda for the August 2nd Train the QI Leader Workshop at the Aldo Leopold Foundation.

Draft Agenda

Stay tuned for the final agenda, which will be available within the next two weeks!

If you have any questions, or would like additional information about the Train the QI Leader Workshop click here

Or, contact Dustin Young at youngdusghc@me.com

 

Domain A Month #5

 

On Monday, August 6th at 11 AM we will review Domain 5 - “Develop public health policies and plans”

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Cow Tipping is a Myth, but This is Not!



While PHAB guidance is generally very clear, sometimes you find an important tip in the "tall grass.” Early applicants have discovered, "Where documentation requires examples, health departments must submit two examples, unless otherwise noted in the list of required documentation or the guidance" (PHAB Documentation Guidance, 2011, p. 3).

If you haven't already done so, all your accreditation team members should subscribe to the PHAB enewsletter (PHABoard.org). It is free, and full of other important tips! 

 

Train the QI Leader Workshop



Mark Your Calendars and Register!

On Thursday, August 2nd from approximately 9AM to 3PM, IWHI will be conducting a Train the QI Project Leader workshop at the Aldo Leopold Foundation (located near Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells). Led by our team of QI consulants, Heidi Keating, Kate Konkle and Bev Larson, this training is targeted to local and Tribal health department employees who have already had basic QI training and experience, but now wish to lead QI projects. 

Please register here

Other Important Details:

This is the only training of this type that will be offered prior to October 2012. 

Attendance will be limited to three people per agency.

If you plan on staying overnight before the workshop, you can choose from plenty of lodging options located within a short drive of the Aldo Leopold Foundation.  Here is a  brief list of possibilities for your convenience.

Wisconsin Dells/Baraboo Area Lodging:

Great Wolf Lodge

Holiday Inn Express

Kalahari Resort and Convention Center

Ramada

Wilderness Resort

Clarion Hotel

Ho-Chunk Casino Hotel and Convention Center

 

Please follow the link below to access a copy of the preliminary agenda for the August 2nd 

Draft Agenda

 

Domain A Month #4 Reminder



On Monday July 2nd at 11 AM we will review Domain 4 - “Engage with the community to identify and address health problems”

The target audience for these sessions are those who want to gain a basic understanding of the PHAB domains, standards and measures. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Two New Resources to Share



1) New resource on Tribal Accreditation


A new briefing entitled, Engaging Tribes in Public Health Accreditation and Quality, has been published by the National Network of Public Health Institutes.  Authored by Nancy Young, IWHI Executive Director, it features an interview with Lorrie Shepard and Linda Sturnot of the Forest County Potawatomi.  Special thanks to Lorrie and Linda and to Aleena Hernandez of Red Star Innovations, LLC, for their guidance and leadership.


2) Strategic Planning How-To Guide


The National Association of County & City Health Officials has just published, Developing a Local Health Department Strategic Plan: A How-To Guide - 79 pages (count 'em!) of goodies for those who could use some guidance on one of the three PHAB accreditation prerequisites.


*These documents can be accessed by clicking the links above, or in the WIQI Resources section on the sidebar under Tribal and Strategic Planning, respectively.

 

IWHI Welcomes Performance Program Lead

 

The Institute for Wisconsin’s Health, Inc. would like to welcome Tracy Mrochek, MPA, BSN, RN as its new Performance Program Lead.  Tracy comes to IWHI from the University of Wisconsin – Madison’s Linking Education and Practice for Excellence in Public Health Nursing Project (LEAP), where she is an outreach specialist. 

Tracy brings 14 years of nursing and public health experience to IWHI’s team.  As Performance Program Lead, she will provide day-today leadership for selected elements of IWHI's performance management, quality improvement and accreditation projects. 

Tracy is excited to be joining the IWHI team and had this to say: "Accreditation and quality improvement initiatives are great opportunities for local, and tribal public health departments in Wisconsin. I look forward to working with the Institute for Wisconsin's Health to assist agencies in meeting their goals."

Tracy received her BSN degree from Marian College and her MPA from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.  She is also a United Way and Friends of the Library volunteer in her community.

 

Oneida Nation to Host Tribal Forum - June 15th

On Friday, June 15th, the Oneida Nation will be hosting a tribal accreditation forum. Attendees will discuss public health accreditation and quality, updates related to tribal community health assessment data, and challenges related to tribal public health codes and policies.  Please follow the links below to a preliminary agenda and directions to the forum.


Tribal Forum Agenda 

 

Forum Directions

 

If you plan on attending, but have not yet registered for the forum please do so by completing this registration survey by Tuesday, June 12th.   


Also, for those of you who plan on staying overnight on June 14th, there is a block of rooms reserved at the Radisson Hotel and Convention Center - Green Bay. Please note that if you haven't reserved a room yet, you must do so by Saturday, June 9th to guarantee a room in the block.  Reference the Institute for Wisconsin's Health block when making your reservation in order to receive the state rate. 


We hope to see you in Green Bay!

 

Domain A Month #3 Reminder



On Monday June 4th at 11 AM we will review Domain 3 - “Inform and educate about public health issues and functions”

The target audience for these sessions are those who want to gain a basic understanding of the PHAB domains, standards and measures. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Domain A Month #3


On Monday June 4th at 11 AM we will review Domain 3 - “Inform and educate about public health issues and functions”

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

Quality In Action!



Cindan Gizzi, Assistant Director Pro-Tem of the Tacoma-Pierce Health Department, and member of the NACCHO Speaker's Bureau of Accreditation Champions, offered guidance on performance management and sustaining a culture of quality at the Quality in Action meeting in Madison on April 30. The slide set for Cindan's keynote, From Measurement to Management, is in the Resources side bar under Performance Management. Thank you to all those who attended and served as faculty! 

 

Time is on Your Side



We have some good news for those of you who want to send more attendees to the April 30th Quality In Action meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Madison.  We have limited extra space available and will be extending the registration time for local and tribal agencies that would like to send more than two representatives. Registration will be on a first come, first served basis and remain open until 5 pm on Monday, April 23rd, OR until we reach our limit of attendees, whichever comes first. Addtional registrants will still be limited to a maximum of 5 total attendees per agency (i.e., if you have already registered two people, you could register up to three additional attendees).


If you would like to register additional attendees please follow the registration link below.


http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YLKTCTT

 

Domain A Month: Domain #2



On Monday May 7th at 11 AM we will review Domain 2 - “Investigate Health Problems and Environmental Public Health Hazards to Protect the Community”

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper. 

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

If you have any questions about registration or content, please contact Dustin Young at: youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103

 

New Institute of Medicine Report on Public Health Funding

For The Public's Health: Investing in a Healthier Future has just been released.  

This report includes 10 recommendations and is the third in a series of important IOM reports focused on public health.  It is also the new #10 in our Top Ten Resources.

 

Public Health Poetry For Fun



April is National Poetry Month.  Catch the spirit by joining the first (that we know of) call for public health poetry! 

The prizes - Your poem will featured in the Quality In Action meeting materials on April 30,2012. And you will receive a special commemorative mouse pad. 

Few rules - The poem must have a public health theme and must be short (you can determine what that means).

Submissions - May be by an agency team or individual. In fact team submissions are encouraged. Have fun with this! And if you are shy, anonymous submissions will also be accepted as long as we know who gets the mouse pad. 

Deadline - Submit to nyoung@instituteforwihealth.org no later than 5 PM on April 25. 

Hmmmmmm, what rhymes with cryptosporidium? 

 

No More Hidden Agendas!



Here is the Preliminary Agenda for the April 30 Quality In Action Meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Madison.  See the post of 3/22/12 below for registration and hotel information and links. And watch this site for agenda updates.

 

Don't Forget Your Coffee!

 


 

In this week's Quality Over Coffee Performance Management Webinar, Bev Larson will be discussing Data Sharing.  Bev will share a powerful, but easy to use Excel-based stoplight report to illustrate how agencies can effectively share their performance data.   If you haven't registered already please click here to receive all the information you need to join in.  While your at it, go ahead and register for the last two webinars in our Performance Management series: Using Data to Manage Performance and Performance Management Self-Assessment.

 

Please contact Dustin Young (Project Specialist -Institute for Wisconsin's Health) at 608-338-6103 or youngdusghc@me.com with any questions or comments.

 

Domain A Month!



It's not a club and you don't have to buy anything - but if you want to review the 12 Public Health Accreditation Board domains in a systematic way, this is the webinar series for you.  Each session will be from 40 to 60 minutes long and will begin at 11 AM. Brown bag it and join your local and Tribal health department colleagues around the state. These webinars will be as interactive as possible so bring your questions and ideas.  

On Monday April 9 at 11 AM we will review Domain 1 - “Conduct and Disseminate Assessments Focused on Population Health Status and Public Health Issues Facing the Community”

The target audience for these sessions are people who have some knowledge of the domains, standards and measures, but wish to dig deeper.  Nancy and Dustin Young will lead the first webinar and we may have guest leaders as the months go on.  

This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please register by clicking this link.

 

What's In Store?



 

Registration is now open for the WIQI/WPHII meeting on April 30 at the Sheraton Madison, Madison Wisconsin.  See the next blog post below for logistics and take careful note of the per agency registration limits and hotel deadlines. 

The goal of the meeting is to strengthen Wisconsin’s growing community of practice around public health accreditation and quality. 

Preliminary objectives

  1. 1.  To provide in-person interaction and learning opportunities for up to 110 local, tribal and state health department leaders
  2. 2.  To showcase quality improvement projects and QI integration efforts
  3. 3.  To increase participant understanding of performance management in practice
  4. 4.  To provide updates on national developments in accreditation preparation
  5. 5.  To explore sharing of services as a way to increase local and tribal public health capacity
  6. 6.  Maybe more…

 

From Measurement to Management – Our keynote speaker will be Cindan Gizzi, MPH, Deputy Director Pro Tem of the Tacoma-Pierce County (Washington) Health Department. A member of the National Association of County & City Health Officials Speakers Bureau, Cindan is recognized as a public health performance leader nationally, and was very well received when she spoke to the WIQI group in 2010. She will describe her department’s journey from measuring and reporting data to using lessons learned to manage performance - all in the context of accreditation preparation. 

 

A Sampling of Sessions

1) Hidden Secrets of Building a Strong QI Culture

How do you set targets that are at the right level? How do you establish trust among team members? What happens when a target is not achieved? What factors are essential to learning culture? Cindan Gizzi will discuss some of the more sensitive issues around building a QI culture that is sustainable and that underpins accreditation efforts for "the long run". 

2) Making QI Part of the Fabric of Your Department

An interactive session led by IWHI QI consultants Heidi Keating, Kate Konkle and Bev Larson – and joined by Cindan Gizzi. A discussion of transition strategies using the NACCHO QI Roadmap as a conversation starter. 

3) A Sneak Peak at ePHAB

What you need to know about organizing documentation for accreditation application.

4) A Case History of Shared Services

Cindy Bodendein, Sarah Grosshuesch and Barb Theis describe the strong history of of shared services among Sauk, Adams and Juneau Counties and how this will increase capacity for accreditation.

5) The Wisconsin Public Health Improvement Initiative Update

Rebecca Cohen will present the WPHII goals, objectives and progress to date.

6) QI Project Roundtables

Four (or more!) health departments will briefly share their QI project successes in a PowerPoint free zone.

 

Watch this blog for updates and see you in Madison! 

 

WIQI/WPHII April 30th Statewide Meeting



The April 30th WIQI/WPHII Statewide Meeting will be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Madison.  A block of rooms will be available at the state rate for those attendees who wish to stay overnight.  They can be reserved by clicking this link Institute for Wisconsin's Health, or by calling (608) 251-2300 and referencing the Institute for Wisconsin’s Health.  Please book your room by April 10th to guarantee your reservation.


Also, don’t forget that you must pre-register for the meeting by clicking here.  Note:  Attendance will be limited to two participants per agency in order to guarantee that all of our interested agencies can attend without exceeding space limitations. Pre-registration will close on April 13th at 5pm. 

 

Stay tuned, as more information will be coming soon!

 

Room for Improvement?



Join us for one of five regional Quality Improvement 101 trainings led by IWHI’s QI consultants.  These sessions will cover basic Quality Improvement principles for participants with little or no experience with QI. 

Each training will be limited to 30 attendees, so only two persons per agency/office may register. Registration is open only to:

1.  WIQI agencies

2.  2011 and 2012 mini grant awardees that identified QI training as a priority in their workplans

3.  Regional Office staff who have not received basic QI training in the past


The registration cut-off date is April 10.  If there are extra slots available after registration closes, we will announce that fact here on the Public Health Quality blog and the remaining slots will be filled with additional representatives from the eligible groups on a first come, first serve basis.

 

Light refreshments will be provided.  Participants should bring a brown bag lunch.  The trainings will take place from 10am-3pm at the following sites:

(Please follow the hyperlinks for registration and a Google Map for each location.)

Northern Region:  Tuesday, April 17th at the Woodruff Town Hall

Southeast Region:  Tuesday, April 17th at the Wauwatosa Public Library – Firefly Room

Northeast Region:  Thursday, April 26th at the Appleton Public Library – Meeting Room A

Western Region:  Thursday, April 26th at the Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild

Southern Region:  Wednesday, May 9th at the Alicia Ashman Branch of the Madison Public Library

Please contact Dustin Young - IWHI Project Specialist at youngdusghc@me.com or 608-338-6103 with any questions.

 

More Coffee!



Quality Over Coffee:  Performance Management Series


Are you looking for practical ways to better use data to manage performance in your health department?    If so, this series is for you.

Join us for seven 30 minute webinars. This series is free, however pre-registration is required for EACH session. Please click on your desired topic(s) below to register!


March 14th, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  What do I do With Data Overload?

 

March 21st, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  Performance Management in Local Health Department Programs:  Establish Key Indicators (Immunizations, WIC)

 

March 28th, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  Performance Management in Local Health Department Programs:  Establish Key Indicators (Environmental Health, Pre-natal Care Coordination)

 

April 4th, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  Data Analysis

 

April 11th, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  Data Sharing: Reporting

 

April 18th, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  Using Data to Manage Performance

 

April 25th, 11:30 - 12 Topic:  Performance Management Self-Assessment

 

If you have any questions about this webinar series, or registration, please contact Dustin Young, Project Specialist at youngdusghc@me.com.

 

Tough Choices

 

 

Those of you who were lucky enough to hear Kane County Illinois Health Department Director Paul Kuehnert's presentation at the September 2011 WIQI Partner Meeting in Wausau will be interested in this article recently published in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, Tough Choices in Tough Times: Enhancing Public Health Value in an Era of Declining Resources. Thank you for sharing this Paul! 

Tough Choices in Tough Times: Enhancing Public Health Value in an Era of Declining Resources

 

Opportunity to Join the IWHI Team

IWHI is looking for a Performance Program Leader.  This is a part-time contract to provide leadership in the areas of performance management, quality and accreditation.  For a more detailed description of job duties and information on submitting a proposal for consideration, please download the Contract Description Here.

 

Major Award (Program) Announced




The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) has announced a QI assistance award program as a part of its Strengthening the Community of Practice for Public Health Improvement (COPPHI) initiative.  The awards will provide health departments with $5,000 and 15 hours of QI assistance to conduct a QI project that results in measurable change.

Please visit the NNPHI COPPHI site for more information.

A Christmas Bonus

*****The first two people to identify the movie this iconic leg lamp appears in will win a Christmas gift from IWHI (Please provide your answer by commenting and we will get in touch with you about shipment of your "Major Award").*****

 

No Turkeys Here



Today we are giving thanks to Linda Conlon who is sharing the Oneida County Health Department's Community Health Assessment, Community Health Improvement Plan and Strategic Plan.  You will find them in the resources sidebar under Community Assessment and Planning & Strategic Planning. 


Happy Thanksgiving!

 

It's (Not Really) A Secret



Open only to Wisconsin local and Tribal health departments, the Public Health Accreditation Wisconsin website offers sample documents that may help your agency strengthen documentation needed for accreditation.  To request access to PHAW, please contact your DPH regional office at: 

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/localhealth/counties/regional.htm 

or Tegan Ruland at: 

Tegan.Ruland@wisconsin.gov.

 

Mini RFP Released!

 

The request for proposals for year two accreditation Mini-Grants has been released by the Division of Public Health.  Local and Tribal Health Department leaders should follow the link below for more information.

 

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/rfp/index.htm

 

NACCHO Nuts & Bolts Webinar




Learn About the Nuts and Bolts of PHAB Accreditation in NACCHO's next webinar:  

The Nuts & Bolts of Preparing for PHAB Accreditation:  How to do it and How NACCHO Can Help.


Click Here for more information about this webinar and to register.


Note:  This webinar is free, but space is limited.  Please register soon!


 

NACCHO Supports Accreditation With New Funds




This Just In!


Follow this link to find out about a new funding opportunity for health departments. 


New Funding Opportunity: Accreditation Support Initiative


Applications are due October 28, 2011.

 

Q&A; with Paul Kuehnert

 

 

Here is your chance to continue a dialog with Paul Kuehnert, keynote speaker at the WIQI September 13 meeting.  At your request we asked Paul some questions in follow-up.  Want to know more?  Click on comment at the bottom of this post, then type your question under "leave a comment," hit the send button, and he will answer.  Thanks Paul! 


Here is a sample of what the dialog will look like:

Question: You have done presentations similar to the one you offered at our meeting via webinar in the past.  Can you provide a link to an archived version? 

Paul KuehnertHere is the link to NACCHO’s Accreditation and QI webpage of resources where folks can find the link to the webinar I presented on May 26, 2011: http://www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/accreditation/webcasts.cfm

Questions: Can you provide a list of specific services that your health department provided before and after the reorganization? Did all the grants you turned down get picked up by the FQHCs or other community partners?  Can you give an example or two of some grant opportunities you turned down once you reorganized around essential services? 

Paul KuehnertIn terms of before and after services, I don’t have a simple chart or table for providing comparison.  We basically declined grants for personal health services including:  MCH case management, WIC, vision and hearing, dental, and foster child case management.  All of these services were picked up by the FQHCs in our community and, in the case of dental, are being coordinated by a provider collaborative, the Aurora Primary Care Consortium.  In terms of services we provide now:  I would encourage folks to look at our new organizational chart and review the accreditation standards.  We provide population focused public health services that include:  environmental (well, septic, food establishment, nuisances and lead hazards); communicable disease control including case management of TB, STI and other reportable disease cases; public health nursing (high risk infant, including our Nurse Family Partnership, and immunizations on a limited basis); emergency preparedness and response; community health assessment and planning; health communications; epidemiology; and community partnership development and support.

Question:  Can you provide a sample or two of your revamped job descriptions?

Paul Kuehnert:  Job descriptions for KCHD Community Health Specialists II and II are now posted in the "WQI Resources" side bar under "Agency Administration" as examples.

 

 

All Handouts on Deck!




There were 67 attendees at the WIQI Partner Meeting on September 13 at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau. 

The day started with a thought provoking presentation by Paul Kuehnert, Director of the Kane County (Illinois) Health Department, Essential Public Health Services and Economic Sustainability: Keeping Our Bearings in Troubled Times. Kate Konkle and Heidi Keating led 20 participants in the first Train the (QI) Expert workshop aimed at preparing individuals to lead QI projects at the department level. 

Here are links to slide sets and handouts used by the selected speakers. 

Paul Kuehnert - Essential Public Health Services and Economic Sustainability: Keeping Our Bearings in Troubled Times

Akbar Husain - Dissecting Domain 1:  Assessment and Dissecting Domain 10:  Evidence Base and Research

Julie Hladky - The Ever-Evolving Practice of CHIPP:  New Forces, New Approaches  Handouts:  1.  Mandates: Hospitals and Public Health   2.  United Way: Advancing the Common Good

Kelli Stader - DPH's Road to Accreditation 

 

September 13 Partner Meeting Agenda and Directions



September 13th is almost here!


Here is the agenda, and directions, for the WIQI partner meeting at the Westwood Conference Center in Wausau.


Agenda


Directions


We hope to see you there.


 

Your New Workbook is Ready!

 




The WIQI Accreditation Self-Assessment Workbook has been updated to include the Public Health Accreditation Board Version 1.0 Standards and Measures. The workbook can be used to self-assess agency capacity and/or readiness for accreditation application.  It should be used only in conjunction with the full PHAB Standards & Measures document and the PHAB Guide to National Health Department Accreditation located at www.phaboard.org. 

Workbook for Local Health Departments

Workbook for Tribal Health Departments

Crosswalk comparing LHD Beta and Version 1.0 

 

 

Prospecting for Incentives

Old Prospector


In commenting on the August 2 Sticker Shock? posting, Manty said that to convince some decision makers that the costs of accreditation were justified, there needed to be a "pot of gold...(to) leverage the funds".  The Public Health Accreditation Board's Fees and Incentives Committee (www.phaboard.org/index.php/about/faq/) has conducted research and discussion about what types of incentives might be effective at the national level.  


But what about the state level?  What incentives do you think could be offered by Wisconsin public health partners (the Division of Public Health and others) that would be help local and Tribal health departments convey some of the fiscal benefits of accreditation? We will compile your comments and share the treasure with those who may be able to make it happen. 

 

Sticker Shock?

 

The Good News?  This is it!  As posted here on 7.28.11, Version 1.0 of the PHAB standards and measures are out and health departments will be able to apply for accreditation starting in September of 2011.

The other news?  All good things in life are not free.  But the 2011-12 fee schedule is based on population size of the jurisdiction served and payment terms have some flexibility.  See phaboard.org

How does your health department plan to budget for and pay accreditation fees?  What approaches are you considering? Here is the place to share your ideas and comments with the WIQI community.

 

Quality Over Coffee #4: "The Power of Many: Engaging Staff in Accreditation and Quality Improvement"



Here is the link to the archived webinar of Quality Over Coffee #4: "The Power of Many: Engaging Staff in Accreditation and Quality Improvement"  


Also, take a look at supplements to the webinar provided by Wood County Health Department.  They include a staff meeting agenda and two presentations from meetings that Wood County Health Department conducted.


Archived Webinar


Quality Over Coffee #4 PPT


WCHD Meeting Agenda


WCHD June Meeting PPT


WCHD July Meeting PPT

 

Tribal Public Health Accreditation Webinar

Here is the archive and slideset for the July 20, 2011 webinar featuring Aleena Hernandez of Red Star Innovations, LLC and Lorrie Shepard of the Forest County Potawatomi Health and Wellness Center. 


1.  Slideset

 

2.  Archived Webinar

 

They've Arrived!



The Public Health Accreditation Board has released Version 1.0 of the national voluntary public health accreditation standards and measures along with the 2011/12 fee schedule and an educational service listing.  Go to the PHAB website to download the documents and check out the archive of the July 7, 2011 NACCHO "What's New With Accreditation?" webinar featuring PHAB CEO Kaye Bender. 

 

Quality Over Coffee #3: The Perfect Pitch

 

Here is the archived webinar link, the sample messages supplement, and the pdf handout from The Perfect Pitch: How to communicate your agency's quality and accreditation efforts in a few phrases that anyone can understand. 


Webinar link:

 

Quality Over Coffee #3 from Dustin Young on Vimeo.

 

 

Sample Messages Supplement 

PDF Handout

 

National Prevention Strategy Released

 


National Prevention Strategy Released! 


This week brought release of the National Prevention Strategy, authored by the National Prevention Council in consultation with experts and stakeholders.  According to the US Department of Health and Human Services news release, "The National Prevention Strategy recognizes that good health comes not just from receiving quality medical care, but also from clean air and water, safe worksites and healthy foods." 




 

Quality Over Coffee Recorded Webinars

Coffee

 

For those of you who missed them, or just want to view them again, here are the recordings and slides from the first two Quality Over Coffee Webinars.

1.  

Quality Over Coffee #1 from Dustin Young on Vimeo.


2.  

Quality Over Coffee #2 from Dustin Young on Vimeo.

 

Slides:

Quality Over Coffee #2 Powerpoint

 

What are you Doing to Prepare for Accreditation

The Institute for Wisconsin's Health and the Wood County Health Department have produced six short videos that illustrate the department's efforts to prepare for voluntary accreditation.

 

In video #2, agency leaders share what they are doing to prepare for accreditation.




 

Wood County Health Department Shares Perspectives on Accreditation

 

The Institute for Wisconsin's Health and the Wood County Health Department have produced six short videos that illustrate the department's efforts to prepare for voluntary accreditation.

 

In video #1, agency leaders share why they are seeking accreditation.




 

Wisconsin Performance Improvement Webinars Archived



Here are links to the first two webinars in the Wisconsin Division of Public Health's performance management overview series:

 

WPHII 101 presented on May 2, 2011    


AND

 

Performance Management 101 presented on May 9, 2011 

 

What Does the Affordable Care Act Mean for Local Health Departments?




Former NACCHO Executive Director Patrick Libbey will share insights into this question as part of the Public Health Law Webinar Series on April 21, 2011 from 1-2 PM EST. 


Libbey has 28 years of local public health experience, including local health department experience as the director of the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services Department in Olympia, WA

 

Register Here! *

*Registration Deadline: 4:00pm (EST) Tuesday, April 19, 2011

 

There Ought To Be A...

 

 

...Public Health Law Network! Well, there is and WIQI partners have already benefited as Dan Stier, Director, and his colleagues, offered a national perspective on shared services in the context of accreditation at our January 2011 meeting.

 

The network provides assistance to anyone seeking to use the law to advance public health and welcomes new members. For more information: 

 

www.publichealthlawnetwork.org. 

 

Performance Management Basics



Many Wisconsin health departments will be looking more closely at performance management through their involvement in WIQI or the Wisconsin Public Health Improvement Initiative. 

Want to better understand the basics?  

 

The Public Health Foundation provides resources on performance management in public health that were developed during the Turning Point initiative in the early 2000's at  

http://www.phf.org/focusareas/pmqi/pages/default.aspx

 

Here is a brief on performance management to get you started. 


Performance Management Brief

 

The State of the State

        


The State of the State


Here are links to key reports that describe the state of health in Wisconsin. 


The United Health Foundation's America's Health Rankings site has a State Health Stats interactive feature. http://www.americashealthrankings.org/  A 2010 Wisconsin summary is posted here, but you can (and should!) go to the site to "drill down" for more information and context. 

 

The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute's, Health of Wisconsin Report Card 2010 

http://uwphi.pophealth.wisc.edu/pha/healthiestState/reportCard/2010.htm

 

The Wisconsin Department of Health Service's 

Wisconsin State Health Plan:  Healthiest Wisconsin 2020

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/hw2020/index.htm

 

You Want Evidence?



We've got it! Or at least the links to it.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guide to Community Preventive Services, and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute's What Works for Health, database are critical resources for public health practice in any setting. 


http://www.thecommunityguide.org/index.html


www.whatworksforhealth.wisc.edu

 

WIQI Seven Deadly Survey Sins - March 8, 2011

 

A link to the March 8, 2011 Seven Deadly Survey Sins webinar archive and a PDF of the slides are now posted on WIQI Forum under a new subforum entitled Surveys. The WIQI Forum can be accessed by registered users.



 

WIQI Partner Meeting - Final Agenda

 

WIQI Partner Meeting - Final Agenda

 

WIQI Partner Meeting - Final Agenda

 

WIQI Partner Meeting - Final Agenda

 

Updated agenda for WIQI Partner Meeting

 

Updated agenda for WIQI Partner Meeting

 

 



805 Creske Avenue
Rothschild, WI 54474
Phone: 715-241-6300

 

Of Course You Want to Come to Northern Wisconsin in January!

Of Course You Want to  Come to Northern Wisconsin in January! 


Here is the preliminary agenda for our upcoming WIQI partner meeting and site visit!


Preliminary Agenda

 

 

Cold Squirrel

 

-  Nancy Young

 

Cats and Bags and Beta Tests! Oh My!

Cats and Bags and Beta Tests! Oh My!  


In November, the National Association of County & City Health Officials hosted a webinar featuring the accreditation beta test experiences of two health departments, one state and one local. Click on this link to access the archived recording. 


http://www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/accreditation/webcasts.cfm

 

Crazy Cat In a Bag

 

- Nancy Young

 

WIQI Partner Meeting Reminder

 

WIQI Partner Meeting Reminder


The WIQI partner meeting and national site visit will be held on January 27, 2011 at the Grand Lodge by Stoney Creek, Wausau. The agenda is in development now.  


Grand Lodge


 

Posting by Nancy Young

 

Building Blocks in Bethlehem

Building Blocks in Bethlehem


Pennsylvania that is.  This video from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Bethlehem Health Department features the health bureau director and mayor talking about their preparation for public health accreditation. 


http://www.rwjf.org/publichealth/product.jsp?id=65708&cid=XEM_205604

 

 

 

Posting by Nancy Young 

 

Quality Trilogy Webcast

Quality Trilogy Webcast 


Wondering how quality improvement, quality planning and quality control fit together in a health department?  Check out this recent teleconference hosted by the National Network of Public Health Institutes through the Multi-State Learning Collaborative.  Marni Mason of MCPP Consulting, Laurie Call of the Illinois Public Health Institute, and Cindan Gizzi of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department review the Quality Trilogy, describe all three components and focus on tools and methods for quality planning, including sector mapping, force field analysis, and evaluation tools.

 

http://nnphi.org/CMSuploads/MLC.Teleconference-10.29.10-46532.pdf

 

Rotating 3

Posting by Nancy Young 

 

Tribal Accreditation Open Forum

 

Tribal Accreditation Open Forum 

 

Twenty two people representing six of Wisconsin's 11 Native American Tribes, the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, and the National Indian Health Board explored tribal accreditation at an open forum on November 3 in Crandon. Graciously hosted by the Forest County Potawatomi Tribe, a 2010 partner in Wisconsin's Public Health Quality Initiative, the meeting featured Aleena Hernandez, of Red Star Innovations, Tucson, Arizona.  Ms. Hernandez is the lead tribal accreditation consultant with NIHB and the Public Health Accreditation Board. Linda Helmick, Director of the Forest County Potawatomi Health and Wellness Center; Lorrie Shepard, Community Health Supervisor; and Linda Sturnot, Compliance Coordinator  spoke about why they are pursuing tribal public health accreditation


Aleena Hernandez

Aleena Hernandez, MPH

 

Latest WIQI

This one page handout highlights project partners and progress. 

 

"One Pager"

 

Final Agenda

WIQI Partners,

Here is the final agenda for Thursday's WIQI Partner Meeting. Registration is now closed as we are well beyond our projections for attendance. We look forward to seeing you there!


A reminder that location and directions are right here on the portal, just a few entries down this list. 

WIQI Partner Meeting - Final Agenda

 

Semifinal Agenda

Here is the semifinal agenda for the WIQI Project Partner Meeting on September 30th in Wausau.


WIQI Project Partner Meeting - Semifinal Agenda

 

Appleton Health Department Quality Improvement Video

The Appleton Health Department's efforts to bring restaurant inspection results to the public are featured in a new video.  The video briefly illustrates how the department used a quality improvement process to improve a public service. More information can be found at www.appleton.org.


Enjoy!

 

 

WIQI Project Partner Meeting - Preliminary Agenda

Here is a preliminary agenda for the WIQI Project Partner Meeting which will be held in Wausau on September 30.

Updated agendas will be posted here as things are finalized. 


WIQI Project Partner Meeting - Preliminary Agenda
 

September 30, 2010 WIQI Partner Meeting

The Wisconsin Public Health Quality Initiative Partner Meeting will be held at the Westwood Conference Center on September 30, 2010 from 8:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m. in Wausau, WI.  Following is information to help you plan.

Conference Location:

The Westwood Conference Center
1800 Westwood Blvd
Wausau, WI 54401
715-847-9200

Hotel Accommodations:

The Fairfield Inn & Suites of Wausau

Rooms:  The Fairfield Inn is located just off of Highway 29.  There is a limited number of rooms available for attendees driving in the night before the meeting.  Room rates are $70/night.  The hotel provides complimentary overnight parking and your reservation includes a hot deluxe breakfast. 

Click here for reservation information.  Reservations need to be made no later than August 29, 2010.  


Meeting Registration:

For information about how to register for the meeting, email Deb Multerer at debmulterer@charter.net

Watch this site for important updates!

 

QI & Accreditation Resource Guide

Kate Konkle developed this Quality Improvement and Accreditation Resource Guide.  It provides valuable links to resources available to assist you in your Quality Improvement and Accreditation planning.

 

2010 Quality Improvement Training Sessions

In follow-up to the WIQI Partner Kick-off Meeting held May 6, 2010 several basic quality improvement training sessions will be offered over the next few weeks.  Dates and locations are listed below.  Sessions will be held from 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.  Registration is limited and due one week before the training date.  WIQI partner organizations will be given priority for open slots! 

If you are interested in attending a session, please select the one that works best for you and your staff and email Kate.Konkle@wisconsin.gov no later than one week prior to the selected training with the date of the training you plan to attend and number of people attending.  Team attendance is strongly encouraged!

Dates and Locations

May 18 - Barron
June 1 - Wisconsin Rapids
June 8 - Appleton
June 9 - La Crosse
June 11 - Rhinelander
June 14 - Madison
 
For additional information, contact Kate Konkle.

 

May 6, 2010 WIQI Partner Meeting Agenda

The WIQI Partner meeting will be held on May 6, 2010 at the UW Pyle Center in Madison, Wisconsin.  Click here to see the final agenda.  

 

 

Archived Webinars on Strategic Planning and QI Tools

Recent WIQI quality improvement and management webinars are archived for viewing.  If you were unable to attend or just want a refresher on what was presented, follow the links below.


1. 

Strategic Planning for Accreditation from Dustin Young - IWHI on Vimeo.

  Presented by Nancy Young on March 15, 2010.

 


2. 

Determining Root Causes and Prioritizing Issues with the Affinity Diagram from Dustin Young - IWHI on Vimeo.

 Presented by Kate Konkle on April 6, 2010.

 


3. 

Focusing on Key Problems and Prioritizing Using Pareto Charts and Nominal Group Technique #2 from Dustin Young - IWHI on Vimeo.

  Presented by Heidi Keating on April 13, 2010.

 

WIQI Partner Meeting - May 6, 2010

The Wisconsin Public Health Quality Initiative Partner Meeting will be held at the UW-Pyle Center on May 6, 2010 from 8:30 a.m to 3:40 p.m. in Madison, WI.  Following is information to help you plan to attend.


Conference Location
:

The Pyle Center
702 Langdon Street
Madison WI 53706
Ph:  608-262-0881


Parking:  For those of you driving in for the day, parking is available in the Lake or Francis Street ramps.  There is an additional parking ramp located in the new Lucky building (formerly the University Square Mall).  In addition, parking permits may be purchased from the front desk at the Pyle Center for $13 - they have some space available in lots designated for permit holders.  For additional information regarding The Pyle Center follow this link:  http://conferencing.uwex.edu/location.cfm


Hotel Accommodations:

The Lowell Center
610 Langdon Street
Madison, WI 53706

Rooms:  There is a limited number of rooms available for attendees driving in the night before the meeting.  Room rates are $70/night and parking is available at the Lowell Center for $8/night.  Overnight parking should be requested at the time of making reservations.  Reservations may be made by calling 866-301-1753 or by clicking on the following link and selecting Conference or Event Block Reservations and entering Group Code:  WIPUBLIC.  Reservations need to be made no later than April 21, 2010.

Reservations:  http://lowellirm.uwex.edu/irm/accesstype.asp


Additional meeting information will be forthcoming - watch this site for important updates!

 

Upcoming WIQI Partner Meeting Location Chosen

The next WIQI Partner meeting will be held May 6, 2010 at the University of Wisconsin-Extension Pyle Center in Madison, Wisconsin. More information about the meeting will be forthcoming - so watch this site for updates. For information about the Pyle Center, follow this link http://conferencing.uwex.edu/location.cfm.

Also, as a reminder we have two upcoming webinars scheduled:

April 6, 2010, 1:00-2:00 p.m. - Determining Root Causes and Prioritizing Issues with the Affinity Diagram and Inter-relationship Diagraph presented by Kate Konkle, UW Population Health Fellow.

April 13, 2010, 1:00-2:00 p.m. - Focusing on Key Problems and Prioritizing using Pareto Charts and Nominal Group Technique presented by Heidi Keating, IWHI Quality Improvement Consultant.

Check back for further updates!

 

Recruitment and Radar

Recruitment of new local and tribal health department partners for the third year of WIQI has begun and so far the response has been excellent!  If your health department is considering participation, now is the time to apply.  The grant year runs May 1, 2010 to April 2011.  The deadline for application is 5 PM, March 15, 2010.

As part of their first year in the WIQI project, our "freshman" health departments recently completed a self-assessment using the Public Health Accreditation Board draft standards and a 0 to 4 scoring system with 0 indicating "no capacity" and 4 "optimal capacity".  This radar chart illustrates the aggregated scores in each domain for the group.  (Each health department has also developed its own radar chart.)  This data analysis tool provides a snapshot of areas of self-assessed strength and weakness and can be used to aid discussion and prioritization.

 

WIQI Important Dates

calendar pen daysWIQI partners should mark their calendars for the following dates.  More information will be communicated as it becomes available. 

1. Webinar on strategic planning in the context of accreditation, March 15, 10-11 AM. Presenter: Nancy Young, IWHI Executive Director and Founding Principal, Gray Horse Consulting

2. Spring 2010 Quality Improvement Tools Webinar #1.  Using the inter-relationship diagraph, April 6, 1-2 PM.  Presenters: Kate Konkle, UW Population Health Fellow and Heidi Keating, IWHI Quality Improvement Consultant

3. Spring 2010 Quality Improvement Tools Webinar #2.  Nominal group technique and pareto charts, April 13, 1 PM. Presenters: Kate Konkle, UW Population Health Fellow and Heidi Keating, IWHI Quality Improvement Consultant

4. WIQI Partner In-Person Partner Meeting, May 6, 2010.  Location and agenda to be determined.

 

Public Health Accreditation Board



The Public Health Accreditation Board is now seeking comments from health departments on three documents: a Guide to Accreditation, a Readiness Checklist and a Statement of Intent.  Follow this link and provide your input today. 
http://www.phaboard.org/index.php/beta_test/give_us_your_feedback/

You sign up for the free PHAB e-newsletter at the same site.  PHAB is the primary source for the national voluntary accreditation updates.

 

WIQI Partner Meeting Agenda

The WIQI Partner Meeting is scheduled for February 18, 2010 at the Jefferson Street Inn, Wausau, WI.  Follow this link to the WIQI Partner Meeting Agenda.

 

Whew!

The last few months of 2009 were a blur for most health departments - a blur of activity around pandemic response. And our Wisconsin partners responded admirably. While the pandemic is "not over 'til it is over," the ringing in of 2010 gives us an opportunity to turn attention to exciting new QI and accreditation events and to take stock of progress that has been made over the past few months despite H1N1.

The New

An Important Visit

Partners and national site visitors to meet on February 18 in Wausau. This meeting will focus on progress made so far by the QI affinity groups that were formed around common interests at our September 2009 meeting; the self assessments that our freshman (and some sophomore) agencies are engaging in using an Excel-based workbook that we developed in response to the national draft accreditation standards; and how sophomore agencies are grappling with some of the more difficult standards relating to evaluation and research. A highlight of this event will be the presence of our national site visit team made up of consultants like Lee Theilan and Les Beitsch, project staff from the National Network of Public Health Institutes, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and visitors from other Multi-State Learning Collaborative states. We expect great discussions and dialog!

A New Publication

Our project is developing a monograph on the public health essential services targeted for a local policy maker audience. The idea is to develop a clear, brief document addressing what the services are in practical terms and why they matter. There is interest in this product by other states with similar public health delivery systems and by some national organizations as well. Stay tuned as this develops.

An Invitation

In the next month or two we will be inviting new health departments to become part of WIQI in the third grant year which will begin on May 1, 2010 and continue through April 30, 2011. If you are a Wisconsin health department leader, please consider us! It is a great group and an opportunity to explore accreditation preparation how quality improvement tools can make a difference in your agency.

The Old - Well Not So Old Really!
Practical QI Projects

Agencies with similar QI project interests formed in September and are working together on QI projects. For example, the Southern Region Office, Appleton and Wauwatosa Health Departments are looking at engagement on the issue of built environments. The Monroe County Health Department is looking at improving PHN orientation and the Lincoln, Jefferson, Oak Creek, Shawano and Waushara Health Departments worked together to develop an improved customer satisfaction survey and process. These are just SOME examples of QI piloting efforts among our local partner agencies. WDPH regional offices have launched QI projects too - one example from the Northeast office addressed cell phone use by sanitarians.

How Do We Rate?

Our project developed an Excel-based workbook for LHDs who wish to assess their progress toward meeting the national voluntary accreditation draft standards. The standards are built around the public health essential services and the workbook allows a health department to rate on a 0-4 scale how they "measure up". Of course, one main purpose of this self-assessment is to generate discussion and voluntary action around essential services. Whether our partner agencies choose to pursue national voluntary accreditation when it becomes a reality in 2011 or not - so far, they have found this assessment process to be enlightening.

 

Accreditation Pizza and Chocolate

_The June 2009 issue of NACCHO's accreditNATION newsletter features an interview with Gretchen Sampson, Director of the Polk County Health Department, one of the local partner agencies in the WIQI project. Gretchen discusses how her agency is integrating the results of the NACCHO self-assessment into strategic planning and other activities with the assistance of food rewards.

 

New Partners New Look New Project Year!

 

 

May 1, 2009 marked the beginning of the second project year for Wisconsin's Public Health Quality Initiative (WIQI). Last year's public health leaders have now been joined by another group of 11 local health departments.  Over the next several months these pioneers will explore ways in which they can best prepare for the national voluntary accreditation process due to begin in 2011 and integrate quality improvement principles and tools in their agencies. The first in-person meeting of this year is scheduled for the Great Wolf Lodge in Wisconsin Dells on June 17, 2009. Here is a map that illustrates the 2008 and 2009 partners.

 

 

 

 

 

Wisconsin's Virtual Summit

Provide Input on National Voluntary Accreditation Standards
We'd like to gather Wisconsin's feedback on the national standards for accreditation in one place and then pass it on 
to the PHAB. So we have created a Virtual Summit meeting in survey form.   There are many standards -but don't feel
as if you need to review every standard and detail in order to comment! If there is a particular area that interests you and you only have time to review and comment on that, fine. We will take any input you have time to offer
-and we will pass it on to the PHAB. And the Wisconsin-specific results will be posted on this website after April 30, 2009. 

Here is a survey in which you can provide feedback on the Public Health Accreditation Board's standards for 
local health departments. The local (and state) draft standards can be found at the PHAB site

This survey is for feedback on the Public Health Accreditation Board's standards for state 
health departments.The state draft standards can be found at 

The summit will close on April 20, 2009. This is Wisconsin's chance to help to craft national voluntary standards. Let's make our voices heard!
 

Site Visit Highlights State and Local Progress

A national team of visitors from the MLC3:Lead States in Public Health Quality Improvement initiative met with eight local health department (LHD)  project partners and Wisconsin Division of Public Health (WDPH) leaders in Madison on March 4. It was a highly interactive and positive day!  New Division of Public Health Administrator, Seth Foldy, Deputy Administrator, Tom Sieger and all WDPH bureau directors were in attendance. 

WDPH Regional Office Pilot 
One highlight was an overview given by Lieske Giese and Kate Konkle of WDPH on the progress the WDPH regional offices have made in assessment based on the essential services framework.  The national team noted that while systems vary greatly nationwide, most states have some sort of regional framework for public health service.  They encouraged us to share the assessment tools that the regional offices have developed and piloted. So, for our national colleagues, and for people within Wisconsin that want to see how WDPH is approaching quality improvement, here are the most recent versions of the state assessment tools. 

Overview of WDPH role in essential services

WDPH Regional Office Internal Assessment

Local Health Department Survey

Central Office Survey







 

Draft National Accreditation Standards Released

 Our Turn

National Release
The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) released the much-anticipated public health accreditation draft standards on February 2. The PHAB is offering multiple ways for individuals and groups to provide input on the draft and the PHAB website is the definitive source for review, and for information on the vetting timeline and what will happen next. There are 31 standards that will be applicable to state, territorial and local health departments who apply for accreditation beginning in 2011.  

In Wisconsin 
As part of the WIQI Accreditation Project, the six Wisconsin Division of Public Health (WDPH) regional office directors are piloting an assessment tool that they developed based on the essential services. They will then share the pilot results with colleagues and continue to explore ways in which WDPH can prepare for state-level accreditation. 

The 15 pioneering WIQI local project partners have been busy as well. By mid-February, they will have completed use of the NACCHO Local Health Department Self-Assessment Tool in their agencies.  Their next challenge is to apply the results of that assessment to their plans for accreditation preparation and quality improvement (QI) activities, and those topics will be central at the upcoming project partner meeting in Wausau on February 17. Project partners (must be a registered user) should log on to the Forum "next door" to join into the pre-meeting discussions regarding uniform data sets and adolescent alcohol QI; for more meeting details; and other newly posted resources including the WDPH's state-level assessment tool and notes from the January teleconference.

 

Action On All Fronts

In Wisconsin
Welcome to Seth Foldy, the new Administrator of the Wisconsin Division of Public Health. Dr. Foldy has a strong interest in public health quality improvement and we look forward to his involvement with the WIQI project! 

This month, our 15 WIQI local health department project partners are completing their use of the NACCHO Self-Assessment Tool and are also beginning to gear up their quality improvement (QI) training activities.  Two "target teams" will focus on learning more about how QI can be used to address adolescent alcohol use and uniform data sets.  New discussion boards have been created for registered users in the Forum (next door on this site) and they will be used as "the court" for the team members to interact. 

National Action
This has been a month when all eyes have been on national developments and for those of you interested in public health accreditation, that trend will continue.  Vetting of the voluntary accreditation standards will begin in February and Wisconsin will be an especially active part of that process. For more information, visit the Public Health Accreditation Board web site.  
 

Keeping it between the lines in 2009

What lines?


When I was a health department director a few years back, my colleagues would only half jokingly say, “we really should have a manual for running one of these things!”  Well, 2009 has arrived and there still isn’t a manual per se, but progress has been made in developing standards that can guide our direction. One great example is the Operational Definition of a Functional Health Department. In the words of the National Association of City& County Health Officials (NACCHO), the operational definition, “defines what people in any community can reasonably expect from their local health department.”  This definition has become the basis for building the NACCHO Local HealthDepartment Self-Assessment Tool and the soon-to-be-released draft standards for accreditation from the Public HealthAccreditation Board (PHAB).

 

Must-View Webcast

If you have been waitingfor a concise overview of the national voluntary accreditation movement, your wait is over.  On December 15, the PHAB aired a free webcast that summarized progress-to-date and plans for the immediate future. Led by Dr. Bill Riley, Interim Executive Director of the PHAB, the delivery was straight forward and the Q and A session was rich with questions that will be of interest to you.  It can serve as a fine leadership briefing and/or staff training tool and you can find it archived at http://www.phaboard.org

 

A few highlights from the webcast:

  • The PHAB has developed 30 standards and 120 measures based on the Operational Definition and National Public Health Performance Standards Program and other sources.
  • The vetting process for the standards and measures will proceed through April 2009.
  • By mid 2011, the PHAB will be open for business – and that business will be accrediting health departments nationwide.

 

Because of Wisconsin’s Accreditation and Quality Improvement Project, led by this institute (IWHI) in partnership with the Wisconsin Division of Public Health and the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards, our state has a bit clearer vision of “the lines” being developed nationally and has an inside track forproviding feedback for the national standard development. Our 15 local healthdepartment project partners are now using the NACCHO self-assessment tool and building quality improvement experience so that they can be better prepared for accreditation when it becomes a reality. If you are a health department or board of health leader, please consider joining our project in our second year beginning May 1, 2009.  Check in here for more information over the next two months.

 

For anyone interested in public health quality improvement:

 1. One immediate opportunity to get involved on a national level - PHAB is seeking members forthe new Fees & Incentives Workgroup. This workgroup will develop a fee structure for national accreditation applicants and identify strategies for securing incentives for participants.

 

2. This blog page (Project Portal) now has an RSS feed option. If you have an RSS reader and wish to be notified automatically when there is a new blog entry, just click on the orange speaker icon in the right column of this page and follow your reader's instructions for subscribing. RSS has been available on the IWHI news page for sometime, so you may subscribe to that as well.

 

 

For WIQIProject Partners:

 1. Reminder -The second Project Partner Teleconference is scheduled for January 13, 2009 at10 AM. Call in instructions and agenda will be posted in the Forum soon.

 

2. And we are finalizing the agenda for the February 17, 2009 in person meeting.  It will be held at the Jefferson Street Inn in Wausau and reservation (for those who choose to come the evening before)and registration information will be coming soon. 

 

3. It would be GREAT to have one or more of our project partners involved in the PHAB Fees & Incentives Workgroup (see number 1 above  and act quickly if you are interested)

 

Wishing you all every success in 2009! 
 

Brrrrrrr!

 Hmmmm!

 

Here are some good things about frigid weather, scant daylight and the end of the year…they force us tostay inside, slow down and reflect. 


Maybe some of your reflection this year will include this question, “How can I be certain that the public health services in my community are delivered in a way that impacts health in the greatest possible way?” And I hope that one of your answers might be, “I will take an honest look at what we are doing, compare it to some solid standards, design improvements, and act to make those improvements a reality.” 


That is the mindset that the 15 local health departments who volunteered to be part of the 2008 Wisconsin Public Health Quality Improvement and Accreditation Project adopted early this year. They have begun the assessment process and will be designing improvements and plans for change in the upcoming months.  And the Division of Public Health (DPH) Regional Office Directors have begun a pilot project wherein they are applying draft standards to their own operations – again to honestly assess, adjust, improve and then share what they have learned with other parts of DPH.


If you are a public health leader, I hope you will consider joining us in our efforts to improve public health quality in 2009!

 

Foranyone interested in public health quality improvement efforts:


1. NACCHO continues to be a strong national leader in accreditation and quality improvement efforts and the website is a rich source of resources.  Consider signing up for the accreditNATION newsletter at:

www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/accreditation/index.cfm 

2. The December 2, 2008 NACCHO Webcast, QI in Action: Stories from Local Health Departments, has been archived.  You may access it forfree at

https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=xr97hqb5iw6n

 

For WIQIProject Partners:


1. Reminder-  The first Project PartnerTeleconference is scheduled for December 9, 2008 at 10 AM.  Refer to the call in instructions andagenda sent by email on December 4, 2008.

2. Another reminder (not that anyone would need reminders at this time of year J) – To register for the December 15,2008 PHAB webcast at www.phaboard.org.

 

Mid November Update

Mid November Update

For anyone interested in public health quality improvement and accreditation:

1. The Public Health Accreditation Board is hosting the first in a series of national update webcasts on December 15, 2008 from 11:30 AM to 1 PM.  To register, visit www.phaboard.org.
2. A public health program evaluation resource for your consideration (or reconsideration)  is the CDC Framework for Program Evaluation located at http://www.cdc.gov/eval/framework.htm.  Within this section is a 92 page PDF self study guide.
3. Thanks to Terri Timmers, WDPH Northern Region Director, for sharing this newly published resource entitled, Fundamentals of Evaluating Partnerships. This document is the latest addition to a series of evaluation guides developed by the CDC Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention (DHDSP) and it applies the evaluation framework noted above to partnership evaluation. This guide is available at http://www.cdc.gov/DHDSP/state_program/evaluation_guides/
4. A reminder (thanks to Mary Young, WDPH Southern Region Director) that there is a listing of evidence-based practices for Healthiest Wisconsin 2010 on the WDHS website at http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/statehealthplan/practices/index.htm


For WIQI Project Partners:



1. The WIQI Forum (for registered users only) QI Target Issues Forum contains a link to a NY Times article on adolescent alcohol use in Wisconsin.
2. An agenda for the brief project partner teleconference on December 9.2008 will be coming soon.  Please keep that date and the January 13.2009 dates on your calendar.
3. Our project's second quarter report is posted in the Resources section of the Forum and NACCHO responses to recent questions generated in the optional essential services teleconferences are posted under the Questions for NACCHO discussion board.

Nancy


 

November Continued

Accredited? Licensed? 


As we approach some important seasons in Wisconsin, here are a some resources and updates:


For anyone interested in public health quality improvement:


1. Check the news section of this website in the next day or two for a release that describes the Wisconsin Public Health Quality Improvement and Accreditation Project.

2. An update from the Public Health Accreditation Board on the revised timeline for national accreditation standards review at http://www.phaboard.org/standards.html

3. Check out the text of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President and CEO, Risa Lavizzo-Mourey’saddress, Public Health's "A-Ha" Moment and What it Means for theAmerican People  at http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/rlm2008asthonaccho.pdf

4. RAND is offering a free webinar on applying quality improvement (QI) methods to public health emergency preparedness on Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST.Registration is limited and you can sign up at https://admin.acrobat.com/_a848853632/prepareqi/event/


For WIQI Project Partners:




1. The WIQI Forum (for registered users only) now has a new discussion board for our chosen quality improvement target issues, uniform public health data sets and adolescent alcohol use. Check it out along with updates in the NACCHO Self-Assessment Tool and Press boards.

2. A reminder to mark your calendars for brief project partner teleconferences on December 9.2008 and January 13.2009, both at 10 AM.

3. On 11.7.08, The MLC-3 national project offered a webinar entitled,  Key Elements of a QI Project.  You can download slides and/or the complete audio from the webinar by going to www.nnphi.org, clicking on grantee resources, and searching under meeting/teleconference materials.


Have a great weekend!

Nancy

 

November

Decisions Decisions!

Here are some easy decisions for WIQI partners on this Election Day:

Mark your calendar for an optional meeting with national Multi-State Learning Collaborative site visitors on March 4, 2009 at a TBD Wisconsin location.  If you are interested in exchanging ideas in person with representatives from the national collaborative partners (NNPHI, RWJF, NACCHO and others), you may want to put a hold on this date. More information will follow.

Registered users should check out the Resources section of the WIQI Forum, which now holds two new items of interest for project partners:

1. An Excel spreadsheet that local health departments may use to record scores and document rationale for same.
2. A revised document for services VII and VIII provided by WDPH Southern Region Director, Robert Harris, in preparation for the Nov. 10 essential services teleconference.