Addressing Geographic Variation in Public Health Production - New Jersey's Perspective

Year: 2012
Funding: Multi-Network Practice Outcome Variation Examination Study (MPROVE)
Status: Completed

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Overview

The New Jersey (NJ) Affiliate PBRN is well placed to participate in this collaborative project to conduct network-specific analysis, dissemination, and translation activities. For the past 2 years the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) Office of Local Public Health has been engaged in a project to redesign the NJ Local Health Evaluation Report. NJDHSS undertook this task, in cooperation with the Rutgers University Office of Continuing Professional Education, after examination of measures and methods already tested in other states and municipalities in the US. Now, NJ is exploring which measures will work in NJ, to maximize the sustainability of our resources, identify outcomes that can be measured and linked to resources, and develop a web-based reporting system that will be useful for NJ’s local health departments (LHDs). The NJ PBRN will partner with NJDHSS to work with national PBRN colleagues to identify and test multi-state measures that can be used to examine resources and outcomes for optimal public health practice. Methods: We will use existing resources and an additional research associate funded through this RFP to work with the national PBRN group to develop and test tools to measure: 1) availability/scope of resources; 2) volume/intensity of application; 3) staffing capacity; 4) reach; and 5) quality: the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge. NJ is proud of its work to date to revise LHD reporting measures, and recognizes that measures that can compare and contrast efforts across state lines will be of great value. We are eager to share our experience; to learn from other state partners' efforts to measure public health resources and their influence on outcomes; and to contribute to an effort that can inform the broader public health system.

Presentations

Research Areas

Contact Us

Pauline Thomas, M.D.              
thomasp1@rutgers.edu

Natalie Pawlenko, M.S.W., B.A.
natalie.pawlenko@doh.state.nj.us

Margaret Jahn
MJahn@twp.freehold.nj.us