Zuzka P. Eggena, MD, MPH¹, Jeffrey D. Gunzenhauser, MD, MPH¹, and Jonathan Fielding, MD, MPH². (1) Quality Assurance, County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services-Public Health, 313 N. Figueroa St., Room 227 B, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 250-8688, jgunzenhauser@dhs.co.la.ca.us, (2) Director of Public Health, Health Officer, County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services-Public Health, 313 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

In the summer of 2003, Los Angeles County DHS-PH launched a Public Health Report Card initiative to assess internal systems and processes. The goal was to produce an annual report on “cross-cutting” performance measures, those that have impact on all organization programs. The report card will allow organizational leaders to identify key internal processes and capacities that require improvement and provide a gauge to monitor that improvement. A committee of program representatives selected specific measures for the report card based on the following criteria: high importance to PH, relationship to PH infrastructure, priority focus on new initiatives and systems that are important to all programs (including obstacles to performance), clarity of definition, ease of data collection, and identification of data sources. Some important measures were not included because no data source existed for measurement and were reserved for use in future years. For 2003, thirteen measures were selected and categorized into three objective areas: 1) Use of data and evidence to improve quality, 2) Communication, planning and technology, 3) and Resource utilization. Aggregate information on results for 2003 was disseminated to all PH employees. Detailed information on all programs was sent to Program Directors who were requested to share it with their employees. Results from 2003 were also used as a baseline to develop benchmarks for 2004. LA Public Health will compile and publish the Report Card annually. As desired results are achieved or initiatives conclude, new measures will replace older ones. The PH Report Card will become a key organizational tool for assuring improvements in internal processes that underlie organizational efforts to improve population health.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss how an internal report card can assist a LHD improve performance.
• Describe a process for developing such a report card.

Keywords: Performance Measurement, Infrastructure

Related Web page: www.lapublichealth.org/QA

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services-Public Health
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment