The Kane County Health Department was awarded a Promising Practice Award for 2016 from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).
The project that earned this recognition promoted the use of Quality Improvement tools, and how best to motivate and encourage the staff to complete six required QI training modules identified in the Kane County Health Department’s QI Plan and Workforce Development Plan.
The Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange (PHQIX) is an online community designed to be a communication hub for public health professionals interested in learning and sharing information about quality improvement (QI) in public health.
The following Kane County Health Department projects have been highlighted there:
In April 2016, the Kane County Health Department’s Office of Community Health Resources was selected for Developing a Sharing Network to Increase Facebook Likes.
In July 2013, the Kane County Health Department's Emergency Response Program was profiled for Improvement of Employee Drill Response in the Public Health Emergency Response Program
In September 2012, the Kane County Health Department had two projects selected for inclusion among the first fifty projects profiled on the Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange:
Increasing Identification of Resources in Kane County and Improving the Sharing and Leveraging of These Resources to Achieve Community Health Improvement Plan Priorities.
Kane County Health Department’s Public Health Nursing Immunization Project: Improving Nurse Competency in Childhood Immunizations.
Created by RTI International and funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, PHQIX launched in September of 2012 with the goal of sustaining national efforts at QI through providing public health practitioners with a means for obtaining knowledge from the experience of their colleagues. This community engagement will ensure that lessons learned are not limited solely to the individuals who executed a specific QI initiative. KCHD continues to submit QI initiatives to PHQIX, so check back frequently to see additional projects added to the site.
In an effort to streamline processes, increase productivity and improve services provided to the Kane County community, the Health Department has implemented quality improvement tools and methodologies.
By adopting models of quality improvement, such as the Deming Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model, the Health Data and Quality Improvement Coordinator works with KCHD staff to evaluate current processes, seek out opportunities for improvement and implement changes to assure that programs function effectively. The Storyboard links (below) share the results of KCHD improvement projects.
PDCA Storyboards are created for each section that is addressed by the quality improvement project. The Storyboard links share the results of recent improvement projects.
Want to learn more? The following sites can provide more information about Quality Improvement, particularly in public health.
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials American Society for Quality Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, January-February 2010 (QI-focused) Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, January-February 2012 (QI-focused) National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) National Network of Public Health Institutes Public Health Foundation
2015 The Kane County Health Department was awarded two Model Practice Awards at the 2015 National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) annual conference in Kansas City July 7-9, 2015. The Health Department’s two awards were among 19 total awards presented nationwide, and this is the third year in a row Kane County received Model Practice recognition. Read more information about NACCHO’s Model Practice awards.
KCHD’s Model Practice has an impact on public health by allowing local health departments to meet several of the accreditation requirements (examples of quality improvement, development of a work force development plan.) These requirements can be met in such a way that they engage all staff, utilize existing internal resources, and help build a more competent workforce. As a result of this process, KCHD staff has indicated an increase interest in Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals.
2012 The Kane County Health Department won a “Model Practices” award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) for quality improvement initiatives as a department!
This honor from our peer local health departments is quite a distinction---less than 2% of the nation’s more than 2600 local health departments win this award from NACCHO in the annual awards program.
Kane County Health Department Director of Health Promotion Theresa Heaton displays the two Model Practice Awards presented to the Health Department at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) annual conference last week in Kansas City. Theresa is flanked by NACCHO President Dr. Swannie Jett, right, and NACCHO Executive Director LaMar Hasbrouck, left.
