RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The rapidly evolving American health system creates economic and societal incentives for public and private health organizations to collaborate. Despite the apparent benefits of collaboration, there is a paucity of information available to help local agencies develop partnerships. This study, itself a collaboration between a school of public health (SPH) and a Georgia health district, was undertaken to identify critical factors necessary to successfully initiate and sustain a public/private community health collaboration. METHODS: Professional staff at the SPH conducted 26 standardized interviews involving participants from Cobb and Douglas counties Boards of Health; Promina Northwest (now known as Wellstar), a not-for-profit health system; and community stakeholders. Content analysis of each interview question was performed and comparisons were made both within each group and across groups. RESULTS: Trends were identified in the following key areas: vision of health care for Cobb and Douglas counties, forces driving collaboration, strengths of each organization, critical negotiating issues, and potential community gain resulting from the partnership. CONCLUSION: A shared vision between potential collaborators facilitates communication regarding strategies to achieve common goals. A previous history of working together in limited capacities allowed the partners to develop trust and respect for one another prior to entering negotiations. These factors, when taken in conjunction with each organization's strong leadership and knowledge of the community, build a strong foundation for a successful partnership.
Asunto(s)
Centros Comunitarios de Salud/organización & administración , Administración en Salud Pública , Planificación en Salud Comunitaria/organización & administración , Conducta Cooperativa , Recolección de Datos , Georgia , Humanos , Relaciones Interinstitucionales , Programas Controlados de Atención en Salud/organización & administración , Estudios de Casos OrganizacionalesRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Public health organizations are redefining their roles and aligning their structures with other components of the evolving American health system. Health departments must proactively and strategically plan how to position themselves for the coming years. Prior to implementing changes in functioning, structure, and/or future strategies, an organization should assess its internal readiness to commit to creating these substantial alterations. METHODS: Using a diagnostic tool developed by study investigators, employees of the Cobb and Douglas Counties Boards of Health were surveyed in order to assess their organizational readiness to enter into a strategic partnership with Promina Northwest, a not-for-profit hospital network in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Frequency distributions were conducted for each categorical variable and data were analyzed in aggregate and by job category. RESULTS: The 122 analyzed questionnaires revealed some significant trends. Respondents ranked the six factors having the greatest impact on an organization's ability to change in the following order: leadership, planning, teamwork, mission, information and operations. Interestingly, this rank ordering parallels the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the health departments as determined by the frequency of the most positive responses. CONCLUSION: Cobb and Douglas Counties Boards of Health have taken many key steps to prepare the organizations for significant proactive changes. Survey results emphasized the need for open channels of communication within the organizations and with the external environment so that effective planning can guide the strategic alignment of the health departments with community partners.
Asunto(s)
Planificación en Salud Comunitaria/organización & administración , Hospitales Filantrópicos/organización & administración , Relaciones Interinstitucionales , Administración en Salud Pública , Recolección de Datos , Eficiencia Organizacional , Georgia , Humanos , Liderazgo , Estudios de Casos OrganizacionalesRESUMEN
One point which has emerged with a resounding voice during this conference is the need to clearly assemble and carefully communicate data and information as a means of empowerment. We hope that the recommendations from this conference will contribute to this end. We urge all to become actively involved in seeking change, and ensuring that the future health of Americans and of our nation will not reflect our inequitable, costly present.
Asunto(s)
Política de Salud/legislación & jurisprudencia , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/legislación & jurisprudencia , Indigencia Médica/legislación & jurisprudencia , National Health Insurance, United States/legislación & jurisprudencia , Control de Costos/economía , Control de Costos/legislación & jurisprudencia , Financiación Gubernamental/economía , Financiación Gubernamental/legislación & jurisprudencia , Política de Salud/economía , Accesibilidad a los Servicios de Salud/economía , Humanos , Indigencia Médica/economía , Pacientes no Asegurados/legislación & jurisprudencia , National Health Insurance, United States/economía , Garantía de la Calidad de Atención de Salud/economía , Garantía de la Calidad de Atención de Salud/legislación & jurisprudencia , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
In 1986, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) implemented the Model Performance Evaluation Program (MPEP) to evaluate the performance of laboratories that test for antibody directed against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The impetus for developing this program came from the recognition of a need to assess the quality of existing and changing laboratory technology and to ensure that the quality of testing was sufficient to meet medical and public health needs. To develop the program, CDC chose HIV-1 antibody testing as the first specific application for assessing the quality of laboratory performance because (a) of the importance of accurate and reproducible test results for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) surveillance, prevention, and treatment programs; (b) HIV-1 testing technology is new to many laboratories; and (c) HIV-1 testing practices and applications continue to evolve. Unlike proficiency testing programs, the MPEP is not limited to assessing quality in the analytical step, alone. It will also assess quality in the preanalytical and postanalytical steps of the testing process, that is, from the time a test is requested until the clinician who ordered the test takes an action based on the test result. The participating laboratories furnish the information needed for the performance evaluation program by (a) completing questionnaires designed to describe HIV-1 testing laboratories and their testing practices, (b) analyzing specially prepared sample panels for HIV-1 antibody reactivity, and (c) reporting results to CDC.
Asunto(s)
Serodiagnóstico del SIDA/normas , Laboratorios/normas , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud/normas , Serodiagnóstico del SIDA/métodos , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. , Confidencialidad , Seroprevalencia de VIH , Humanos , Control de Calidad , Valores de Referencia , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Since it was first established (during World War II) the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has modified and extended its responsibilities as a major public health agency. Its current activities include the provision of professional training/development and the provision of epidemiologic aid and consultation. AIDS, Legionnaires' disease and toxic-shock syndrome are a few examples of the challenges faced by today's CDC.
Asunto(s)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. , Prioridades en Salud , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Using soft (Mi-Mark) and sharp (Novak) curette endometrial biopsies were performed for the purpose of cancer screening and ovulation detection in five and 44 cases, respectively. The new devised plastic curette (Mi-Mark) when compared to the metal curette proved to be equally effective in obtaining an adequate endometrial sample for histologic evaluation. Due to the flexibility of the plastic curette endometrial biopsies were performed atraumatically and with the least amount of pain in most cases.