Study Findings from College of Public Health Provide New Insights into Public Health Management and Practice (Measuring the Cost and Value of Quality…

Health & Medicine Week

Study Findings from College of Public Health Provide New Insights into Public Health Management and Practice (Measuring the Cost and Value of Quality Improvement Initiatives for Local Health Departments)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Health & Medicine Week -- Data detailed on Health and Medicine - Public Health Management and Practice have been presented. According to news reporting from Omaha, Nebraska, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "To demonstrate an approach to measuring the cost and value of quality improvement (QI) implementation in local health departments (LHDs). We conducted cost estimation for 4 LHD QI projects and return-on-investment (ROI) analysis for 2 selected LHD QI projects."

The news correspondents obtained a quote from the research from the College of Public Health, "Four Nebraska LHDs varying in rurality and jurisdiction size. Total costs, unit costs, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, and ROI. The 4 QI projects vary significantly in their cost estimates. Estimated ROI ratios for 2 QI projects predicted significant savings in health care utilization for respective program participants. A QI project focused on improving breastfeeding rates in WIC (women, infants, and children) clients had a predicted ROI ratio of 3230% and a QI project for improving participation in a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program would need only 34 new participants to have a positive ROI. We demonstrated how data can be collected and analyzed for cost estimation and ROI analysis to quantify the economic value of QI for LHDs. Our ROI analysis shows that QI initiatives have great potential to enhance the value of LHDs' public health services."

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "A better understanding of the costs and value of QI will enable LHDs to appropriately allocate and utilize their limited resources for suitable QI initiatives."

For more information on this research see: Measuring the Cost and Value of Quality Improvement Initiatives for Local Health Departments. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 2018;24(2):164-171. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Two Commerce Sq, 2001 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA. (Lippincott Williams and Wilkins - www.lww.com; Journal of Public Health Management and Practice - journals.lww.com/jphmp/pages/default.aspx)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting L.W. Chen, Univ Nebraska Med Center, Coll Public Hlth, Nebraska Public Hlth Practice Based Res Network, Omaha, NE, United States. Additional authors for this research include F.A. Wilson, A. Gregg, N. Gupta, S. Bekmuratova and D. Palm (see also Health and Medicine - Public Health Management and Practice).

Keywords for this news article include: Omaha, Nebraska, United States, North and Central America, Public Health Management and Practice, Health and Medicine, College of Public Health.