ABSTRACT
Funded community-based organizations improved utilization of children's health services by developing innovative staffing patterns, creating new data systems for scheduling appointments and maintaining records, and forging new collaborative relationships to leverage financial support. These strategies were rooted in collaboration with community-based organizations, health care providers, and the state Medicaid agency.
Subject(s)
Child Health Services/organization & administration , Cooperative Behavior , Insurance, Health , Medicaid/organization & administration , State Health Plans , Child , Child Health Services/economics , Child Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Financial Support , Georgia , Humans , Interinstitutional Relations , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling , United StatesABSTRACT
In 1994, the Public Health Functions Steering Committee proffered a description of the Essential Public Health Services (Essential Services). Questions remain, however, about the relationship between the roles defined therein and current public health practice at state and local levels. This case study describes the core business of public health in Georgia relative to the theoretical ideal and elucidates the primary drivers of the core business, thus providing data to inform future efforts to strengthen practice in the state. The principal finding was that public health in Georgia is not aligned with the Essential Services. Further analysis revealed that the primary drivers or determinants of public health practice are finance-related rather than based in need or strategy, precluding an integrated and intentional focus on health improvement. This case study provides a systems context for public health financing discussions, suggests leverage points for public health system change, and furthers the examination of applications for systems thinking relative to public health finance, practice, and policy.
