141st APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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282332
Measuring local board of health effectiveness: A governance self-assessment


Monday, November 4, 2013

Elizabeth Harper, MPH, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, National Coordinating Center for Public Health Services and Systems Research, Lexington, KY
Angela Carman, DrPH, MBA, PHR, CHE, ASQ-CQIA, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, National Coordinating Center for Public Health Systems and Services Research, Lexington, KY
Cynthia D. Lamberth, MPH, CPH, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Context This presentation is an introduction to an updated assessment tool that aligns with NALBOH's 6 Functions of Public Health Governance, National Public Health Performance Standards Program, the Administrative Capacity and Governance Standards from the Public Health Accreditation Board, and proven elements of high-performing boards from the research of hospitals and health care systems. The tool illustrates methods of compliance with board responsibilities such as specific local health departments plan approval and monitoring. Experience implementing this tool with local boards of health will be shared.

Design This is a mixed methods study of local boards of health in Kentucky. Data was first analyzed on 2011-2012 board appointment documents. Appointment information regarding individual board members was collected on 1113 (97.4%) board members. Descriptive statistics were calculated for single county boards, counties within districts, and district boards. Boards were compared based on board size, composition, and ability to fulfill the intent of law regarding appointment requirements.

LBOH meeting minutes were collected and quantitatively analyzed based on state statutes and the Local Board of Health Self Evaluation tool. Finally, interviews were conducted with board members to establish the utility of the tool in the field and provide comparison between recorded meeting minutes and board perception.

Results/Conclusions: Local boards of health in Kentucky vary in their ability to fulfill the intent of law concerning the required board composition. Preliminary results reveal differences among counties of the Local Board of Health Self-Evaluation. This was an effective tool in capturing local board of health activities and the boards' current functionality with respect to effective governance characteristics. We support the use of this tool to evaluate board effectiveness in other states with local board of health governance.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the utility of the assessment tool for local boards of health. Describe the lessons learned from the administration of this tool.

Keyword(s): Leadership, Quality Improvement

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Elizabeth Harper, MPH, is a DrPH student who has conducted extensive investigations of state and local public health governance and law as a graduate research assistant for the National Coordinating Center of Public Health Services and Systems Research. She has presented on local board of health research at national conference including: APHA Annual Conference 2012 and Academy Health Annual Conference 2012.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3350.0: Health Administration Roundtable II- Policy and Program Evaluation