Preparedness and Public Health Systems and Services Research
Ready or Not? Protecting the Public’s Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism
The 10th anniversary of 9/11 and the anthrax scare give us an occasion to pause and consider a vital question. We moved, as a nation, to assure that we were protected from bioterrorism and were prepared for the natural and unnatural disasters that we will likely experience. We have had other reminders of the importance of that capacity, hurricane Katrina being a classic ex- ample. one of the key components of our ability to respond to either of these sorts of events is our public health system and its backbone, the local health department.
Unfortunately, as a nation we have a tendency to “fight the last war” and to gear up in response to a major event, but as those problems fade into time, we tend to neglect the lessons, and allow those efforts we invested in preparedness to deteriorate and return to the status quo that existed before the event. Recently, a colleague and I were working on a public health book, in which there was a chapter on the history of public health. We were both struck by the history of public health, gearing up to respond to a major public health event and then watching as public health gains that were achieved diminish with time and a loss of support and interest.
Unfortunately, that is the current state of public health. We don’t learn our history lessons, so following the build-up of public health in 2001, we are now allowing the system we established to deteriorate — two steps forward, three steps back. as certain as the sun will rise in the east, we will experience another event that will demonstrate our inability to cope, as the resources for public health are scarce, and it will prompt the cycle of build-up, neglect, event, build-up, etc.
Click here to read the full report and expert commentary.
Season’s Greetings from the PHSSR Team
Call for Abstracts Now Open – 2012 PHSSR Keeneland Conference
Happy Thanksgiving!
As we all prepare to start the holiday season this week, I just wanted say how thankful we are for the work you are doing to improve the nation’s public health system. Enjoy some time off for a job well done!
When you come back to work Monday morning, be aware that we’re already preparing for the 2012 PHSSR Keeneland Conference. Save the dates of April 17-19 to come and celebrate the 5th year of the conference. We have also officially opened up the call for abstracts and you will have until Monday, January 9, to submit your paperwork. We have seen the Keeneland Conference grow in numbers and importance every year and this year should be no different. In addition to the the plenary and scientific sessions, several of our affiliates will be holding pre-meeting sessions with their members and advisory committees.
Frieden
Fineberg
This year I am happy to announce that we have confirmed Drs. Thomas Frieden and Harvey Fineberg as two of the many keynote speakers we will have with us for the conference. We would like to maximize the time they are with us in Lexington and make sure they leave with a clear vision of how our work impacts their agencies. We are in talks with a few other speakers to round out the agenda. Your abstracts will make it an even more interesting event, so make sure you meet the January 9th deadline.
Additionally, we are pleased to now have Dr. Glen Mays with us at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health. He will continue to collaborate with our national coordinating center on grants, manuscripts, textbooks. We look forward to many great things as Dr. Mays settles into life in the Bluegrass.
Again, Happy Thanksgiving and keep doing the wonderful work that makes public health even more successful in improving the health of our communities.
Scutch
Guest blog – Robin Pendley and Dr. Jeff Jones ASTHO 2011
ASTHO 2011 Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon will feature keynote speakers including Thomas Frieden (CDC), Lillian Shirley (President-NACCHO), Heidi Avery (Deputy Assistant to President for Homeland Security), Judith Monroe (CDC-OSTLTS), and Mary Wakefield (HRSA). Current and former state officials, policy-makers, and researchers will gather together to focus on “Vision for the New Public Health.” This meeting will highlight policies and practices to promote health value and equity in order to improve public health as well as strengthen the governmental public health enterprise. Sessions will focus on contemporary food issues, quality improvement/performance management, preparedness response, health information exchange, legal authority, and integration of public health with health care.
Guest Blog: Dr. Richard Ingram Reports from the Launch of the PHAB National Accreditation Program for Health Departments
I was fortunate enough to attend the Public Health Accreditation Board’s (PHAB) recent event to celebrate the launch of PHAB’s voluntary national program to accredit state, tribal and local public health agencies, and found it to be, in one word, impressive. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the accreditation movement is the heavy involvement of the public health practice community in shaping the standards and measures. This was reflected in the sheer number of speakers representing public health practice included in the launch event. Representatives from tribal, state and local public health agencies, as well as the executive directors of ASTHO, NACCHO and NALBOH, all shared their vision of what they feel the accreditation movement can accomplish for the public health community, and how it can help agencies to better serve their constituents. Public health agency personnel, and representatives of the main public health practice organizations, were consulted during, and heavily influenced, every step of the development and refinement of PHAB’s standards and measures. PHAB’s practice partners and funding partners have worked tirelessly to create a program that will, ideally, improve the quality of public health services delivered to communities, and help sustain an environment of continuous quality improvement. The PHAB launch event was another demonstration of both PHAB’s commitment to serving the public health practice community, and the practice community’s keen interest in helping PHAB to improve community health. More information about PHAB, and the launch event, is available at www.phaboard.org.
Dr. Richard Ingram
Input on PCORI’s First Eight Research Topics
Dear Friend:
A few days ago I asked you to send comments by Sept. 2 to the newly formed Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), urging them to expand their “Working Definition of PCOR” to include public health research.
Today, I am asking for your input on PCORI’s first eight research topics that will be funded this fall. PCORI is asking for public comments on the Initial Topics for PCORI’s Tier 1 Pilot Projects by Aug. 31. These topics are to help them define the future PCORI research agenda and priorities.
Created through the ACA, PCORI is a quaisi-governmental research program that will develop evidence “to help patients and their health care providers make more informed decisions.” PCORI’s mission includes prevention and treatment options and comparative delivery system innovations, in addition to studying patient care and clinical interventions. PHSSR-oriented studies have a role in these areas, perhaps even studies that directly compare the health impact of public health prevention vs. clinical treatment strategies.
It is imperative that PCORI to hear from the PHSSR community about the importance of studying the comparative effectiveness of public health interventions and delivery systems – not just “sick care” strategies. The recent JAMA commentary by noted public health scholar and LA County Dept. of Public Health staffer Steve Teutsch discusses federal policy directing comparative effectiveness research. His article points out how inclusion of public health systems research in PCORI’s agenda would identify effective interventions with the greatest potential, specifically addressing the underlying determinants of health.
Go to the NCC for PHSSR website for more background on this research and the comments we are submitting to PCORI. Our comments stress how public health contributes to patients’ health and supports medical providers, and how PHSSR benefits patients’ health through optimal delivery and financing of public health services.
Thanks for your support!
Drs. Scutchfield and Mays
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research and PHSSR
Dear Friend:
Created through the Affordable Care Act (Subtitle D), the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) is an independent non-profit organization that will conduct research “to provide information about the best available evidence to help patients and their health care providers make more informed decisions.”
The PCORI is asking for public comments on a draft definition for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research by September 2nd. The definition is based on language from the ACA and PCORI’s rationale statement. For more details and the form to submit comments, see: Working Definition of Patient-Centered Outcomes Research.
Please help us educate the PCORI on how public health contributes to patients’ health and supports medical providers, and the value of Public Health Services & Systems Research in assuring that public health services are effectively organized, financed and delivered to benefit patient health. We have posted background information and the comments we will submit to PCORI on our website. Perhaps they will stimulate some additional thoughts in your field or specialty.
–Drs. Scutchfield & Mays
National Coordinating Center for PHSSR at AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting
As the field of Public Health Services and Systems Research (PHSSR) continues to grow, it is important to assess of the current body of research to identify gaps and priority research areas for moving forward. I will lead a discussion on the development of an updated PHSSR research agenda during AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting (#ARM11), June 12-14 in Seattle. This session, “New Directions: The Public Health Systems and Services Research Agenda,” features leaders in PHSSR who can provide their insights on developing an agenda to support and inform future research and funding opportunities. Panelists include Debra Perez, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Nikki Lawhorn, of the National Network of Public Health Institutes; and Cynthia Lamberth, from the University of Kentucky.
This panel is one of six sessions in the ARM’s public health track, which includes invited panels, policy roundtable discussions, and paper presentations on emerging research in public health systems and services research. By providing a forum for PHSSR at the ARM, AcademyHealth aims to advance evidence-based decision making by translating research findings and promoting partnerships among stakeholders. A complete list of public health sessions is available on the ARM website. To register for the conference, visit www.academyhealth.org/arm/register.
Also consider registering for the PHSSR Special Interest Group meetings to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Make sure to follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/cphssr & www.twitter.com/phssr-scutch) for coverage from the meeting!
Hope to see you there,
Scutch
Podcast: Dr. Michael Caldwell on How PBRNs Work to Develop and Implement Evidence-Based Practice
Fran Kritz, reporter with www.NewPublicHealth.org, spoke with Dr. Michael Caldwell, Commissioner of the Dutchess County Department of Health , the work being done by the Practice Based Research Network sites. He also moderated Session 4.A on the projects conducted by the sites, which ranged from Building the Capacity of Local Public Health Practitioners to Access and Use Data by the Massachusetts team to the Funding of Essential Services for Local Public Health by the Florida team. Click the link below to download the podcast and make sure to join the conversation via www.twubs.com/PHSSRKC11.
Stay Connected. Stay Informed.
Podcast: Dr. Michael Caldwell at 2011 PHSSR Keeneland Conference
Podcast: Dr. Scott Burris from the PHLN on Relationships Between Health Officals and Their Lawyers
Fran Kritz, reporter with www.NewPublicHealth.org, spoke with Dr. Scott Burris, Director of the Coordinating Center for Public Health Law Research , about the relationships between health officials and their lawyers. Click the link below to download the podcast and make sure to join the conversation via www.twubs.com/PHSSRKC11.
Stay Connected. Stay Informed.
Podcast: Dr. Scott Burris at 2011 PHSSR Keeneland Conference