Health

Health

Discussion 1
Despite an effective vaccine against measles, why do you think about 430 children in the world die from measles every day?
Discussion 2
The CDC is leveraging research funding for the detection of the female genital tract malignancies shown in Table 17-3 on page 271 of the textbook. Choose which malignancy should receive top funding priority and explain why.
The malignancy I choose is ovarian cancer.
Discussion 3
After reading through Chapter 7 on Theories and Models, which theory/model strikes you as being noteworthy?  What are its constructs and why do you think it could be considered “noteworthy?”  What kinds of public health issues do you think that model/theory would be particularly helpful with (name 2-3)?  Why?
Discussion 4
The attached file is the instruction

Student Responses
One
GOAL:  6) Develop a restructuring plan, including identifying the resources (human and capital) needed
OBJECTIVE 1:  Develop incentive systems to be employed to motivate the team to its new goals

Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence
Give a day off to employees/teams who reach the new goals    2 months    80% of the goals have been completed
Employee cook out or dinner if all teams reach the new goal    10 months    All teams need to complete 70% of the goals
Employee/team recognition (award/team of the month)    5 months    The team needs to complete more then 3/4th of the goals
Money incentive, such as a bonus    5 months    The more goals completed the bigger the bonus
Non- money incentive, such as a better parking space    7 months    Team’s who have preformed the best

GOAL:  Develop a restructuring plan, including identifying the resources (human and capital) needed
OBJECTIVE 2:  Create a plan for implementing new team processes
Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence
Create “creative days” where employees spend some time thinking about implementing new processes    3 months    The number of new innovative ideas that are generated
Brain storming meetings    1 month    The productivity of the meetings, the engagement of the employees and how many ideas are generated
Incentive for teams that come up with innovative new team processes    8 months    The number of good processes generated
Create “research days” where employees can spend some time researching best practices in the field    6 months    The success of this would be measured by the dedication to do research and what that research generates
Meeting with other health departments to see how they do things    1 year    The number of changes that the department does after learning the processes of the other department
Jakub Lech. Agree or Disagree

Two
GOAL: 1) Work with key community leaders to determine the health needs and priorities in the community
OBJECTIVE 1: Meet with members of Board of Health to gather 10 recommendations for community leaders to interview

Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence
Have all staff bring at least one recommendation to monthly meeting    1 month    90% of the goals have been completed
Meet with the Chief of police and fire to discuss safety needs    3 months    Determine what are the top two safety priorities and make them top priority
Meet with superintend of the school board to discuss improvement      3 months    Find three ways to improve education in the community
Make a web page where community members can discuss recommendations for the community    6 months    Measure this by amounts of emails and hits on the site
Discuss where community member’s go for health care and if it can handle the entire community in case of emergency    9 months    Determine this issue and a back up plan

GOAL:  1) Work with key community leaders to determine the health needs and priorities in the community
OBJECTIVE 2:  Prepare overview of local health department and key questions for community leaders
Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence
Create a list of all the projects being worked on and in the future    2 months    A list will help show community leaders what is being addressed and will be in the future
Address any major needs of the health department    3 months    Make sure the funds are in place for projects
After 10 recommendations have been chosen make a poll for community leaders to vote on    6 months    Check this poll weekly until due date
Ask the community leaders if they have any questions    1 year    Ask at least half the community to respond
Michael Eiermann. Agree or Disagree

Three
What is the difference between the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior?LS

Module 8 Performance Improvement Plan Exercise
The purpose of this exercise is to introduce you to the performance management system and the process that is necessary for quality improvement.  For this assignment, I want you to pretend that you are a member of the management team at the Any County Health Department (ACHD) in Any County, Ohio.  As a manager, you have recently met with the health commissioner, fiscal officer, personnel officer, and other program managers to review the results of ACHD’s first iteration of the performance management process and use the data to identify goals for quality improvement of the agency’s policies, programs, and outcomes.  During the day-long meeting, you and the rest of the management team identified several over-arching goals for quality improvement and a few potential objectives that may aid in achieving each goal.  They are as follows:
Agency Goals    Potential Objectives
Improve Exposure/Collaboration with External Partners and Community
1) Work with key community leaders to determine the health needs and priorities in the community    1) Meet with members of Board of Health to gather 10 recommendations for community leaders to interview
2) Prepare overview of local health department and key questions for community leaders
Organization-Level Strategic Assessment or Intervention
2) Develop a written statement of the compelling vision for the health department, and a plan as to how to best develop and communicate it    1) Identify potential supporters and opponents of the vision of the health department
2) Create marketing materials and talking points for sharing the vision for the health department
Accreditation
3) Understand the components of the Public Health Accreditation Board’s program    1) Complete the online orientation offered by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB)
2) Educate agency staff about the value of accreditation and relation to their work
4) Develop a plan for accreditation preparation    1) Conduct a gap analysis against PHAB’s standards and measures
Internal Administrative Assessment or Project
5) Create a workforce development plan for the health department    1) Review public health competencies for application at the health department
2) Implement a 360° evaluation tool to be used for supervisors in the health department
Agency Goals    Potential Objectives
6) Develop a restructuring plan, including identifying the resources (human and capital) needed    1) Determine what personnel changes might be required and how soon those changes should occur
2) Develop incentive systems to be employed to motivate the team to its new goals
3) Create a plan for implementing new team processes
Develop Knowledge and Skills Related to Public Health (Governance)
7) Increase staff knowledge of public health issues and the public health system    1) Take a course on the spread of HIV and AIDS through southern Appalachia
2) Attend the NACCHO Annual Meeting
Implement Specific Public Health Project or Assessment
8) With community partners, plan how to conduct a community health assessment to ensure that your health department is moving in an appropriate direction    1) Facilitate a discussion with partners regarding a timeline for conducting a community health assessment
Staff Development Project/Initiative
9) Determine two areas of improvement for all health department staff and develop learning tools (workshops, weekly emails, eLearning) to work on these areas    1) Work with managers to identify two areas of improvement for staff
2) Partner with managers to schedule one lunch and learn each month on a topic relevant to our health department

As homework for the next day’s planning meeting, the health commissioner has asked each member of the management team to work on the agency’s Performance Improvement Plan by choosing one goal, writing two additional SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic, and Time-bound) objectives for each goal, and identifying at least three potential accompanying activities to fulfill each objective.  In addition, each objective should have a documented time-frame for completion and a potential performance measure or evidence for accomplishment.  As an example, the team worked together to complete a possible Performance Improvement Plan for Goal 9 – Objective 1 as follows:

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN WORKSHEET

Goal:  The outcome you want to achieve. Could be a personal skill or trait that you want to improve), or a specific organizational initiative you wish to launch (e.g. a more proactive staff development approach).

GOAL 9:  Determine two areas of improvement for all health department staff and develop learning tools (workshops, weekly             emails, eLearning) to work on these areas

Objective:  Objectives break the goal down into smaller parts that provide specific, measurable actions by which the goal can be accomplished.  Objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Agreed-upon, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART).

OBJECTIVE 1:  Work with managers to identify two areas of improvement for staff

Activities:  List the specific activities you will undertake to reach your goal.

Measures/Evidence:  Identify what kind of measure or evidence you will use to know that you accomplished the activity.

Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence
1) Have all staff complete self assessment of their professional strengths and weaknesses    1 month    90% staff completion of assessment
2) Work with a professional development consultant to assess staff learning needs and determine top five major areas for improvement    3 months    Determined at least five areas for staff improvement
3) Host 2 Lunch n’ Learns and 1 all-staff meeting to teach three of the five areas needed
9 months    Hosted these three events and have had at least 75% staff participation
4) Evaluate success of the Lunch n’ Learns and staff meeting to determine if learning initiatives were well received by staff    11 months    Favorable staff response on evaluations and requests to continue program

For this assignment, choose one over-arching goal that is of interest to you and has not been chosen by more than three other students.  Once you have chosen a goal, claim it by posting a reply to this discussion topic and changing the subject line of your post to the number and first 10 words of the goal (no abbreviations or acronyms, please).  As always, incorrectly titled posts will be given a grade of zero.  Also, please note that a goal that has already been posted by four others student is considered taken.  If you post on the same goal, it will be given a grade of zero.  Next, consider your chosen goal, write two SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic, and Time-bound) objectives for each goal, and identify at least three potential accompanying activities to fulfill each objective.  Then, complete the following Performance Improvement Plan worksheets for your chosen goal and document the time-frame for completion and potential performance measures or evidence for accomplishment that will be utilized to assess each activity.  Once done, edit your post and attach the completed worksheets.

Lastly, choose two responses posted by your classmates, read them, and investigate and comment on their discussions.  The subject line for your comments to classmates should be left as the default title (RE: Original Post Title).  Again, incorrectly titled posts and those that are late will be given a grade of zero.

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN WORKSHEET

Goal:  The outcome you want to achieve. Could be a personal skill or trait that you want to improve), or a specific organizational initiative you wish to launch (e.g. a more proactive staff development approach).

GOAL:

Objective:  Objectives break the goal down into smaller parts that provide specific, measurable actions by which the goal can be accomplished.  Objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Agreed-upon, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART).

OBJECTIVE 1:

Activities:  List the specific activities you will undertake to reach your goal.

Measures/Evidence:  Identify what kind of measure or evidence you will use to know that you accomplished the activity.

Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Goal:  The outcome you want to achieve. Could be a personal skill or trait that you want to improve), or a specific organizational initiative you wish to launch (e.g. a more proactive staff development approach).

GOAL:

Objective:  Objectives break the goal down into smaller parts that provide specific, measurable actions by which the goal can be accomplished.  Objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Agreed-upon, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART).

OBJECTIVE 2:

Activities:  List the specific activities you will undertake to reach your goal.

Measures/Evidence:  Identify what kind of measure or evidence you will use to know that you accomplished the activity.

Activity    Time-Frame for Completion    Performance Measure/Evidence