Synonym-Based Word Frequency Analysis to Support the Development and Presentation of a Public Health Quality Improvement Taxonomy.

CONTEXT: Researchers and analysts have not completely examined word frequency analysis as an approach to creating a public health quality improvement taxonomy. OBJECTIVE: To develop a taxonomy of public health quality improvement concepts for an online exchange of quality improvement work. DESIGN: We analyzed documents, conducted an expert review, and employed a user-centered design along with a faceted search approach to make online entries searchable for users. To provide the most targeted facets to users, we used word frequency to analyze 334 published public health quality improvement documents to find the most common clusters of word meanings. We then reviewed the highest-weighted concepts and categorized their relationships to quality improvement details in our taxonomy. Next, we mapped meanings to items in our taxonomy and presented them in order of their weighted percentages in the data. Using these methods, we developed and sorted concepts in the faceted search presentation so that online exchange users could access relevant search criteria. RESULTS: We reviewed 50 of the top synonym clusters and identified 12 categories for our taxonomy data. The final categories were as follows: Summary; Planning and Execution Details; Health Impact; Training and Preparation; Information About the Community; Information About the Health Department; Results; Quality Improvement (QI) Staff; Information; Accreditation Details; Collaborations; and Contact Information of the Submitter. CONCLUSION: Feedback about the elements in the taxonomy and presentation of elements in our search environment from users has been positive. When relevant data are available, the word frequency analysis method may be useful in other taxonomy development efforts for public health.

Control of the Public Health IT Physical Infrastructure: Findings From the 2015 Informatics Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey.

BACKGROUND: Despite improvements in information technology (IT) infrastructure in public health, there is still much that can be done to improve the adoption of IT in state and local health departments, by better understanding the impact of governance and control structures of physical infrastructure. OBJECTIVE: To report out the current status of the physical infrastructure control of local health departments (LHDs) and to determine whether there is a significant association between an LHD's governance status and control of the physical infrastructure components. DESIGN: Data came from the 2015 Informatics Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey, conducted by Georgia Southern University in collaboration with the National Association of County and City Health Officials. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 324 LHDs from all 50 states completed the survey (response rate: 50%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Outcome measures included control of LHD physical infrastructure components. Predictors of interest included LHD governance category. RESULTS: The majority of the control of the physical infrastructure components in LHDs resides in external entities. The type of governance structure of the LHD is significantly associated with the control of infrastructure. CONCLUSIONS: Additional research is needed to determine best practices in IT governance and control of physical infrastructure for public health.

Public Health Staff Development Needs in Informatics: Findings From a National Survey of Local Health Departments.

CONTEXT: Public health practice is information-intensive and information-driven. Public health informatics is a nascent discipline, and most public health practitioners lack necessary skills in this area. OBJECTIVE: To describe the staff development needs of local health departments (LHDs) related to informatics. DESIGN: Data came from the 2015 Informatics Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey, conducted by Georgia Southern University in collaboration with the National Association of County & City Health Officials. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 324 LHDs from all 50 states completed the survey (response rate: 50%). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Outcome measures included LHDs' specific staff development needs related to informatics. Predictors of interest included jurisdiction size and governance type. RESULTS: Areas of workforce development and improvement in informatics staff of LHDs included using and interpreting quantitative data, designing and running reports from information systems, using and interpreting qualitative data, using statistical or other analytical software, project management, and using geographical information systems. Significant variation in informatics training needs exists depending on the size of the LHD population and governance type. CONCLUSION: Substantial training needs exist for LHDs across many areas of informatics ranging from very basic to specialized skills and are related to the size of LHD population and governance type.

Beacon communities' public health initiatives: a case study analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The Beacon Communities for Public Health (BCPH) project was launched in 2011 to gain a better understanding of the range of activities currently being conducted in population- and public health by the Beacon Communities. The project highlighted the successes and challenges of these efforts with the aim of sharing this information broadly among the public health community. BACKGROUND: The Beacon Community Program, designed to showcase technology-enabled, community-based initiatives to improve outcomes, focused on: building and strengthening health information technology (IT) infrastructure and exchange capabilities; translating investments in health IT to measureable improvements in cost, quality, and population health; and, developing innovative approaches to performance measurement, technology, and care delivery. METHODS: Four multimethod case studies were conducted based on a modified sociotechnical framework to learn more about public health initiative implementation and use in the Beacon Communities. Our methodological approach included using document review and semistructured key informant interviews. NACCHO Model Practice Program criteria were used to select the public health initiatives included in the case studies. FINDINGS: Despite differences among the case studies, common barriers and facilitators were found to be present in all areas of the sociotechnical framework application including structure, people, technology, tasks, overarching considerations, and sustainability. Overall, there were many more facilitators (range = 7-14) present for each Beacon compared to barriers (range = 4-6). DISCUSSION: Four influential promising practices were identified through the work: forging strong and sustainable partnerships; ensuring a good task-technology fit and a flexible and iterative design; fostering technology acceptance; and, providing education and demonstrating value. CONCLUSIONS: A common weakness was the lack of a framework or model for the Beacon Communities evaluation work. Sharing a framework or approach to evaluation at the beginning of implementation made the work more effective. Supporting evaluation to inform future implementations is important.

Synonym-based word frequency analysis to support the development and presentation of a public health quality improvement taxonomy in an online exchange.

Word frequency analysis has not been fully explored as an input to public health taxonomy development. We used document analysis, expert review, and user-centered design to develop a taxonomy of public health quality improvement concepts for an online exchange of quality improvement work (www.phqix.org). Online entries were made searchable using a faceted search approach. To present the most relevant facets to users, we analyzed 334 published public health quality improvement documents using word frequency analysis to identify the most prevalent clusters of word meanings. We reviewed the highest-weighted concepts and identified their relationships to quality improvement details in our taxonomy. The meanings were mapped to items in our taxonomy, and presented in order of their weighted percentages in the data. Using this combination of methods, we developed and sorted concepts in the faceted search presentation so that relevant search criteria were accessible to users of the online exchange. Word frequency analysis may be a useful method to incorporate in other taxonomy development and presentationwhen relevant data is available.