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 The December 2, 2008 NACCHO Webcast, QI in Action: Stories from Local Health Departments, has been archived.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.