Using National Public Health Accreditation to Explore Quality Improvement and Performance Management in Small Local Health Departments

Context:This article focuses on 4 small local health departments (LHDs) that were in the process of seeking Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) reaccreditation or Pathways Recognition using PHAB Standards & Measures Version 2022.Objective:The objective of this study was to explore the experiences of 4 small LHDs related to Quality Improvement (QI) and Performance Management (PM) in their pursuit of PHAB reaccreditation or Pathways Recognition.Design:A team of researchers conducted 22 qualitative interviews with health department leaders and staff. Findings relative to QI/PM represent an embedded case study since they were part of a larger investigation.Setting:The research team conducted interviews remotely with health departments located in the West and Midwest.Participants:Participants included adults at least 18 years old and employed in 1 of 4 health departments.Main Outcome Measures:Emergent themes from this qualitative investigation included using QI/PM tracking systems, building staff buy-in for QI/PM, integrating QI/PM into daily work, and advice for other health departments regarding QI/PM.Results:Participants suggested that tracking systems helped them manage QI/PM processes. Staff buy-in for QI/PM was strengthened by building a sense of ownership of the process and connecting improvement processes to outcomes. Health departments integrated QI/PM into daily work by leadership modeling and communicating expectations. Advice for other health departments included finding a QI system that was easy to follow and recognizing the role of QI/PM in improving performance to better support the wellbeing of the community.Conclusions:QI/PM are important tools for health department effectiveness. Participants affirmed that the primary purposes of QI/PM are to enhance internal processes and improve community health outcomes. Study findings demonstrate how 4 small health departments integrated QI/PM into their public health practice.