Using Public Health Detailing to Increase Access and Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines and Reinvest in Disproportionately Impacted NYC Communities.

CONTEXT: COVID-19 vaccination rates in New York City (NYC) began to plateau in the spring of 2021, with unacceptable inequities in vaccination rates based on race. PROGRAM: To address racial inequities in vaccination rates and COVID-19 health outcomes, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene adapted a preexisting provider outreach and education program for public health emergency use with the goals of community reinvestment and increasing patient confidence and access to the COVID-19 vaccines. The Vaccine Public Health Detailing (VPHD) program was delivered as part of a larger community outreach initiative and brought timely updates, materials, and access to technical assistance to primary care providers and staff in NYC neighborhoods experiencing COVID-19 health inequities. Outreach representatives also collected feedback from providers on resource needs to inform the agency's response. IMPLEMENTATION: Sixteen outreach representatives were rapidly trained on COVID-19-related content and strategic communication techniques and launched a 3-wave campaign across targeted neighborhoods throughout NYC. The campaign ran from May 2021 to March 2022 and was conducted in coordination with other community engagement initiatives aimed at the general public to promote greater collective impact. EVALUATION: In total, 2873 detailing sessions were conducted with 2027 unique providers at 1281 sites. Outreach representatives successfully completed visits at more than 85% of practices that were in scope and operating. Approximately 20% (285) of the sites requested a referral for technical assistance to become a COVID-19 vaccination site or enroll in the Citywide Immunization Registry. Qualitative information shared by providers offered a more in-depth understanding of vaccine-related sentiments and challenges faced by providers on the ground. DISCUSSION: VPHD is an effective method for supporting community providers, gathering feedback on resource needs and practice challenges, and increasing health systems efficacy during a public health emergency while also prioritizing racial equity and community reinvestment.

Using public health detailing and a family-centered ecological approach to promote patient-provider-parent action for reducing childhood obesity.

BACKGROUND: This paper describes the research and development of the Obesity in Children Action Kit, a paper-based chronic disease management tool of the Public Health Detailing Program (PHD) at the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). It also describes PHD's process for developing the Obesity in Children detailing campaign (targeting healthcare providers working with children aged 2-18) and its results, during which the Action Kit materials were a focal point. The campaign goals were to impact healthcare provider clinical behaviors, improve the health literacy of parents and children, instigate patient-provider-parent dialogue, and change family practices to prevent obesity. METHODS: Qualitative research methods consisted of healthcare provider in-depth interviews and parent focus groups to aid campaign development. Evaluation of the Obesity in Children campaign included self-reported data on uptake and usage of clinical tools and action steps of matched assessments from 237 healthcare provider initial and follow-up visits, material stock counts, and DOHMH representative qualitative visit excerpts. RESULTS: Key themes identified in parent focus groups were concerns about childhood diabetes and high blood pressure, awareness of cultural pressure and our "supersize" culture, frustration with family communication around overweight and obesity, lack of knowledge about food quality and portion size, economic pressures, and the availability of healthy and nutritious foods. During the Obesity in Children campaign, six representatives reached 161 practices with 1,588 one-on-one interactions, and an additional 461 contacts were made through group presentations. After these interactions, there was a significant increase in the percentage of physicians self-reported use of key recommended practices: Use of BMI percentile-for-age to assess for overweight or obesity at every visit increased from 77% to 88% (p < 0.01); counseling all patients and their parents/caregivers about healthy eating and physical activity increased from 67% to 85% (p < 0.01); counseling all patients on reducing sugar-sweetened beverages increased from 63% to 78% (p < 0.01); and working with families to set realistic goals increased from 64% to 86% (p < 0.01). Clinical tools such as a soda bottle showing sugar content, pediatric plate planners, and goal setting posters were widely adopted (62%, 78%, and 41% respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The Obesity in Children campaign, as well as its predecessor, the Adult Obesity campaign and Action Kit, were amongst the best-received and most successful campaigns PHD has conducted since the inception of the program. They have elicited the most attention from healthcare providers and staff, with Obesity in Children Action Kit materials being requested throughout NYC, as well as nationally.

Public health detailing of primary care providers: New York City's experience, 2003-2010.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the effectiveness of the Public Health Detailing Program in helping primary care providers and their staff to improve patient care on public health challenges. METHODS: We analyzed reported changes in clinical practice or behavior by examining providers' retention and implementation of recommendations for campaigns. RESULTS: During each campaign, 170 to 443 providers and 136 to 221 sites were reached. Among assessed providers who indicated changes in their practice behavior, the following statistically significant increases occurred from baseline to follow-up. Reported screening for clinical preventive services increased, including routinely screening for intimate partner violence (14%-42%). Clinical management increased, such as prescribing longer-lasting supplies of medicine (29%-42%). Lifestyle modification and behavior change, such as recommending increased physical activity to patients with high cholesterol levels, rose from 52% to 73%. Self-management goal setting with patients increased, such as using a clinical checkbook to track hemoglobin A1c goals (28% to 43%). CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that public health detailing can be effective for linking public health agencies and their recommendations to providers and influencing reported changes in clinical practice behavior.

Public health detailing of primary care providers: New York City's experience, 2003-2010.

BACKGROUND: Given evidence of widespread underuse of recommended clinical preventive services and chronic disease management, New York City developed the Public Health Detailing Program, a primary care provider outreach initiative to increase uptake of best practices on public health priorities. PURPOSE: The goal of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Public Health Detailing Program in helping primary care providers and their staff to improve patient care on public health challenges. METHODS: An analysis was conducted of reported changes in clinical practice or behavior by examining providers' retention and implementation of recommendations for campaigns. RESULTS: During each campaign, 170 to 443 providers and 136 to 221 sites were reached. Among providers who responded to questions on changes in their practice behavior, the following significant increases occurred from baseline to follow-up. Screening for clinical preventive services increased, including routinely screening for intimate partner violence (14%-42%). Clinical management increased, such as prescribing longer-lasting supplies of medicine (29%-42%). Lifestyle modification and behavior change, such as recommending increased physical activity to patients with high cholesterol levels, rose from 52% to 73%. Self-management goal-setting with patients increased, such as using a clinical checkbook to track hemoglobin HbA1c goals (28% to 43%). CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that public health detailing can be effective for linking public health agencies and their recommendations to providers and influencing changes in clinical practice behavior.