Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons^™

Evaluating Quality Improvement To Improve Hiv Reporting, Nandi A. Marshall, William C. Livingood, Angela Peden, Gulzar H. Shah, Russ Toal, Dayna Alexander, Alesha Wright, Sandra Jump, Shelby Freeman, Kay Davis, Lynn Woodhouse, Kellie Penix

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

The incorporation and evaluation of Quality Improvement into Georgia’s public health systems continues to be a focus of the Georgia Public Health Practice Based Research Network. This report describes the process, preliminary results and lessons learned from incorporating Quality Improvement into one of Georgia’s public health districts.

Evidence Use In New York City Public Health Policymaking, Miriam J. Laugesen, Kimberley R. Isett

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has attracted national attention for his public health policy reforms. The policy process behind the reform program has received less scrutiny, especially the use of research by policymakers. We show that the process used to develop, promote, and evaluate polices is heavily based on five types of data and research. New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene staff conducted in-depth appraisals of existing published research, used local health surveys and private laboratory surveillance data, engaged in “shoe-leather” field research, formed research collaborations within and outside government, and disseminated research to legitimize policy …

Commentary: Moving Beyond The Numbers, Effectively Using Research To Influence Policy, F. Douglas Scutchfield, Marylou Wallace

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

This seventh issue of Frontiers reflects the variety of PHSSR. One emerging theme, however, is the notion of public health and its role in policy and policy development. PHSSR focuses on several potential users, researchers, practitioners and policy makers. As it concerns policy makers, PHSSR delivers research that allows them to make decisions about policy change that not only influences public health status, but creates healthy conditions. In this way, PHSSR essentially influences decisions about support for public health services.

Preliminary Findings From An Interventional Study Using Network Analysis To Support Management In Local Health Departments In Florida, Chin S. Park, Hado Byon, Jonathan W. Keeling, Leslie M. Beitsch, Jacqueline A. Merrill

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Management is the core service that integrates and coordinates essential public health services. Managers of local health departments (LHDs) are experts in practice but may not have expertise in organizational management. We conducted an evidence-based training intervention in 10 LHDs in Florida to support managers’ decision-making on organizational integration and coordination. We deployed a standard survey to collect organizational network measurements pre and post intervention. We presented results as evidence-based performance feedback and interviewed managers to document how they used the results in the context of each organization. Post intervention we found unexpected, significantly higher network centralization in daily work. …

Characteristics Of A Local Health Department Associated With The Use Of The Health Equity Index, Moira A. Lawson, Sharon Mierzwa, Michael Knapp

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Local health departments are tasked with understanding and addressing health inequities in the populations they serve. To meaningfully address health inequities, local health departments have identified the need for credible local data to better understand the relationship between community conditions and health outcomes. Yet, when given access to these data, we observe a very large variation in the level of interest between local health departments.

In this study, we offered Connecticut’s Local health departments access to the Health Equity Index, a web based tool that provides data on health outcomes and community conditions at the state, municipal or neighborhood levels. …

Evaluating Use Of Custom Survey Reports By Local Health Departments, Nadya M. Belenky, Christine A. Bevc, Elizabeth Mahanna, Carol Gunther-Mohr, Mary V. Davis

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

This report demonstrates how providing survey feedback, like comparative reports, to survey respondents can result in improvement activities. For each of the past three years (2010-2013), the North Carolina Institute for Public Health (NCIPH) has invited local health departments (LHDs) from 40 states to participate in a preparedness capacities survey. In addition, NCIPH fielded a six-question evaluation survey to a subset of LHDs (n=70) to determine how LHDs use these reports. LHDs that reported using their custom reports compared their preparedness capacities to other LHDs, conducted strategic planning (e.g., benchmarking, setting preparedness goals), planned staff trainings, and disseminated the report …

The Relationship Between Quality Improvement And Health Information Technology Use In Local Health Departments, Kendra Johnson, Kim K. Nguyen, Shimin Zheng, Robin P. Pendley

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

This research examined if there is a relationship between engagement in quality improvement (QI) and health information technology (HIT) for local health departments (LHDs) controlling for workforce, finance, population, and governance structure. This was a cross-sectional study that analyzed data obtained from the Core questions and Module 1 in the NACCHO 2010 Profile of LHDs. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Findings suggest that LHD engagement in QI has a relationship with utilization of HIT including electronic health records, practice management systems, and electronic syndromic surveillance systems. This study provides baseline information about the HIT use …

Commentary: The Road To Quality In Public Health, A Long But Important Journey, F. Douglas Scutchfield, Glen Mays, Marylou Wallace

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Quality improvement (QI) in public health departments is a focus in this sixth issue of Frontiers. Data is important to the development of quality improvement efforts. As we see growth of and meaningful use of electronic health records, the health department is in a position to take the lead as a data hub and to use this information wisely to both improve their QI efforts and link that QI to outcomes.

Editors’ Pick—Book Review: Cultivating Inquiry-Driven Learners: A College Education For The 21st Century, Frederic Murray

Administrative Issues Journal

Conard, C., & Dunek, L. (2012). Cultivating inquiry-driven learners: A college education for the 21st century. Baltimore: John Hopkins UP. 132 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0598-8

Collaborative Preference: The Role Of Homophily, Multiplexity, And Advantageous Network Position Across Small And Medium-Sized Organizations, Troy A. Voelker, William C. Mcdowell, Michael L. Harris

Administrative Issues Journal

The purpose of this paper is to examine collaboration between individuals across organizations. While both for profit and not-for-profit organizations utilize collaborative efforts, the factors that are important for bringing individuals and businesses together for collaboration still remain somewhat unresolved. In this paper, colleague similarity, the quality of pre-existing relationships, and the relative power of the other colleague are all examined for their correlation with the desirability of collaboration with that individual. In a study of pastors of small and medium sized churches in a southwestern protestant conference, we examined these areas through the lenses of homophily theory, multiplicity theories, …

Market Orientation And Its Measurement In Universities, Mihai Niculescu, Bing Xu, Gerald M. Hampton, Robin T. Peterson

Administrative Issues Journal

Historically, the measurement of market orientation has proved to be difficult, due to the low external validity of the concept. Existing scales exhibit acceptable properties in measuring market orientation in business organizations, but are less accurate in the context of higher education institutions. This paper compares the performance of three scales – the MARKOR scale, the MKTOR scale, and the University MARKOR scale – in the context of academic organizations. Results indicate that the MARKOR and the MKTOR scales need modifications, in order to accurately measure the construct in the new context. Evidence suggests that the student-oriented University MARKOR scale …

The Future Of Adjunct Teaching At American Colleges And Universities Under The Shared Responsibility Provisions Of “Obamacare”, Suzanne Wilhelm

Administrative Issues Journal

This article examines the effect that the Affordable Care Act may have on adjunct teaching faculty at universities and colleges across the nation.

Leaving The Dark Side For The Light: Twelve Strategies For Effective Transition From Academic Administrator To Faculty Member, Paul Sale

Administrative Issues Journal

Copious literature is available to provide nascent administrators with guidelines and advice for being a successful administrator. Likewise, faculty new to academia have many available resources both from the literature and from campus-based support services, such as new faculty development programs, mentors, and special internal funding programs. However, there is a paucity of academic discussion explaining the process of the return of an administrator back to faculty. The purpose of this paper is to delineate strategies for the transition back to faculty from the administrative ranks. Twelve pragmatic strategies for re-entering the world of faculty teaching, research, and service are …

Student Perceptions Of Integrative Field Seminar: A Comparison Of Three Models, Helen Harris, Dennis Myers

Administrative Issues Journal

Student perceptions of 63 concentration year MSW students, grades, and faculty perceptions were examined to evaluate differences in educational outcomes and in learning experiences among a traditional classroom model, a mixed or hybrid model, and a webinar online model for delivery of integrative field seminars. No significant differences were found in the grades among the three models. Findings showed strong support for the traditional model for students in local field internships and the webinar model for students in distant site placements. Reciprocity among students and faculty was a major factor in seminar integration and effectiveness, regardless of the mode of …

Student Equity: Discouraging Cheating In Online Courses, Timothy B. Michael, Melissa A. Williams

Administrative Issues Journal

As online programs at conventional universities continue to expand, administrators and faculty face new challenges. Academic dishonesty is nothing new, but an online testing environment requires different strategies and tactics from what we have had to consider in the past. Our university has recently adapted successful face-toface programs in financial management, both graduate and undergraduate, for delivery in a fully-online format. This paper discusses our experiences moving to a new environment, the challenges of student attempts to cheat and plagiarize, and techniques that we have found to prevent both cheating on high-stakes assessments and plagiarism.We present a number of essential …

Justifying Study Abroad In Financially Difficult Times, Marty Ludlum, Randal Ice, Jessica Sheetz-Nguyen

Administrative Issues Journal

In this paper, we will develop the justification for study abroad. We will discuss the current economic climate and its impact on budgets. Next, we will explain the many benefits of the study abroad programs. Then we will propose some less expensive alternatives to the traditional study abroad programs. We will conclude with expectations for the future.

Analysis Of The Higher Education Act Reauthorizations: Financial Aid Policy Influencing College Access And Choice, Robin L. Capt

Administrative Issues Journal

The original goal of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the amendments to that act in 1972, and reauthorizations through 1998 was to increase accessibility of higher education to all. Initially these system-level efforts substantially enhanced equity, but recent enrollment trends raise the question: Is our system becoming more or less equitable? By conducting a policy analysis of the HEA reauthorizations and other legislation, in respect to policy decision-making and policy implementation on federal and state levels, this paper examines how financial aid policy influences college access and choice for low- to moderate-income undergraduate students. Key elements in the federal …

Intellectual Property And Higher Education: Challenges, Virgil Van Dusen

Administrative Issues Journal

Intellectual property has become a highly coveted asset that can potentially reap a financial windfall for the owner who exploits its utility. Higher education has focused on the discovery of new knowledge, which can translate into intellectual property, but legislation, higher education policy, and/or contractual engagement may dictate ownership or opportunities for ownership of intellectual property by those involved in the discovery process. The dissemination of new knowledge acquired in the discovery of intellectual property may be limited for purposes of protection of commercial development. At the same time, higher education is becoming more involved in the oversight of technology …

Letter From The Editor, Tami Moser

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Administrative Issues Journal: Table Of Contents

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Diffusion Of Innovation Across A National Local Health Department Network: A Simulation Approach To Policy Development Using Agent-Based Modeling, Mark Orr, Jacqueline Merrill

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

The network that local health officials use to communicate about professional issues is sparsely connected, which may limit the spread of innovative practices. We used agent-based simulation modeling to find out if a policy to promote more connections improved the network’s capability to diffuse innovation. We found that unanticipated effects could result, depending on the requirements of the policy and the proportion of health officials involved. With carefully crafted assumptions and reliable data it is possible to untangle complex processes using simulation modeling. The results represent how the world might actually work which may provide useful decision support for policymakers …

Community Health Assessment By Local Health Departments: Presence Of Epidemiologist, Governance, And Federal And State Funds Are Critical, Gulzar H. Shah, Barbara Laymon, Julia Joh Elligers, Carolyn Leep, Christine B. Bhutta

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Using the data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials’ (NACCHO) 2010 Profile of Local Health Departments (LHDs) our study investigates whether or not infrastructural characteristics of LHDs were associated with completion of community health assessment (CHA). Our results show that local and shared LHD governance, greater share of revenue from federal and state sources, smaller population size in LHD jurisdiction, and having an epidemiologist significantly increased the odds of CHA completion in the past, after controlling for community characteristics and other independent variables. These findings have important implications for LHDs, PHAB and its partners.

The Wise Leader, Shirley Garick

Administrative Issues Journal

This paper is an article review of the Wise Leader, written by Nonaka, I; Takeuchi, H (2011) in the Harvard Business Review. These authors offer salient advice on what a wise leader needs to understand, regardless of your administrative leadership role. It can quality and apply across all dimensions of leadership roles from executive to managerial to employees.

A Case For Teaching Geography, Richard Huck

Administrative Issues Journal

The knowledge of geography is clearly lacking in college students. “We cannot understand who we are unless we understand history, and there is no way we can understand history if we do not understand the geography behind it”! How can we understand the Civil War without understanding the importance of the Mississippi River? A great many students cannot locate the Mississippi River on a map! This paper is original research based on my classroom experience and on a questionnaire given to my students at the beginning of each semester. About 150 students have been given this questionnaire over the 5 …

The High Cost Of Bullying, Marcy Tanner

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Online Cheating: An Empirical Examination Of Online Proctors, Randall Valentine, Dawn Valentine

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Addressing Uncertainty During Workplace Change: Communication And Sense-Making, Richard Parsells

Administrative Issues Journal

Change is a commonplace occurrence in today’s organizations. In order to survive in an extremely competitive marketplace, organizations and their employees undergo change frequently. The ability to manage change and to learn from this experience is now viewed as a key competency for sustainable competitiveness in most business markets. However, while change management processes are employed and followed, a high percentage of change efforts are judged to be unsuccessful by upper management. Moreover, a number of scholars suggest that communication strategies during organizational change are an important element to the success of a change initiative, yet such strategies are not …

Organizational Training And Relationship Building For Increasing Public Participation In A Public School District, John Poynton

Administrative Issues Journal

From the early twentieth century to the present, citizen participation in U.S. public institutions—particularly schools—has continually decreased. The trend has been linked to the bureaucratization of public schools and their increasing reliance on expert knowledge for solutions to school- and education-related problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a parent training program designed to increase a school district’s capacity for public participation by parents and other citizens. The program—known as Leadership St. Vrain—provided citizens knowledge about school district operations and management (know-how) and relationship-building opportunities with key decision makers (know-who). This article focuses on the …

Supervising A Student Managed Investment Portfolio, Teri Allen

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.

Developing A Graduate Program In Healthcare Management Using A Competency Based Curriculum Methodology, Kevin Lafrance

Administrative Issues Journal

No abstract provided.