Resources

Quality Improvement Resources

This page includes additional resources related to the six foundational elements of a QI culture. 



Select a foundational element (tab) below to view resources.

Title Author Description Type
NACCHO QI Self-Assessment Tool Facilitator Guide NACCHO This guide is a resource for those responsible for leading the facilitation or completion of a culture of quality assessment. It offers guidance, tips and key considerations for designing the assessment process, and tools and templates that may be tailored. Guide
Investigating Change Public Health Foundation Before embarking on a major change, such as introducing QI into an agency, this discussion tool can help the planning process using 8 change parameters. Article
Sustaining a Culture of Quality in Local Health Departments Applying for Accreditation Verma P, Moran J, 2014 This peer reviewed publication systematically examines the barriers and facilitators associated with building and sustaining a culture of QI Article
Title Description Type Link
Quality Improvement Plan Toolkit: Guidance & Resources to Assist State and Territorial Health Agencies in Developing a QI Plan (ASTHO) ASTHO Provides guidance around how to develop a QI plan that will meet Public Health Accreditation Board Standards. Tool/Template
Quality Improvement Webinar on NACCHO's Organizational Culture of Quality Self-Assessment Tool Version 2.0 (QI SAT V2.0) NACCHO This PowerPoint slide deck was originally created for a webinar in December 2018, which gave an overview of the NACCHO QI Roadman/Self-Assessment Tool and summarized changes made in QI SAT V2.0. Webinars
Franklin County Health Department Performance Management Plan (2016-2020) Franklin Co. Health Dept. An example Performance Management Plan from a PHAB accredited local health department Example Documentation
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Quality Improvement Plan 2017 Los Angeles County Department of Public Health An example QI plan from a PHAB accredited local health department Example Documentation
Maricopa County Department of Public Health QI Plan 2014-2017 Maricopa County Department of Public Health An example QI plan from a PHAB accredited local health department Example Documentation
Quality Management Template MCPP Health Care Consulting This document defines roles and responsibilities related to quality for leaders in an agency, including executive staff, management, and the QI Council. Guide
Intro to Performance Management guide MN Department of Public Health This guide from the Minnesota Department of Health is a good introduction to selecting performance measures, communicating about progress. Guide
2017 NACCHO QI Culture Assessment Slides NACCHO Health departments can modify this canned NACCHO presentation about assessing QI culture and use it to introduce the assessment to their staff. Tool/Template
Administering The QI SAT Facilitator Talking Points And Questions NACCHO The talking points and questions can serve as a starting point for QI leadership conducting a QI culture assessment and can be modified prior to using. Tool/Template
Administering The QI SAT Sample Agenda NACCHO Sample agenda for administering the QI SAT in Word format to be modified by health department QI leadership Tool/Template
Big City Health Department Population Indicator and Performance Measures Library NACCHO This resource is intended to provide a library of indicators and performance measures, categorized by common public health topic areas. Local health departments (LHDs) can use this library as one resource to find and identify common performance measures that may be adapted to an LHD's own performance management system. Tool/Template
Performance and Outcomes Measures Data Description Form NACCHO This form outlines the key components and considerations in the performance measure development process. Tool/Template
QI Action Plan Template NACCHO An action plan template for use in the QI Plan Tool/Template
Measuring What Matters in Public Health: Guide to Performance Management NACCHO This guide clearly breaks down the steps to developing a PM system from the ground up with step-by-step instructions, worksheets and templates, and stories from the field Guide
Baldrige Self-Assessment Tool (National Institutes of Standards and Quality) National Institutes of Standards and Quality Whether adopting the Baldrige framework for performance management, use this self-assessment tool to evaluate your agency's processes, their impact on results, and progress toward agency goals and objectives. Tool/Template
Northern Kentucky Health Department Quality Improvement Policy (2012) Northern Kentucky Health Dept. An example QI policy from a PHAB accredited local health department Example Documentation
Performance Management Techniques for Successful Decision Making Public Health Foundation This webinar was designed to delve into the concepts and uses of a performance management system and the crucial role of developing meaningful goals, objectives, and measures to monitor program performance and success in your public health initiatives. Webinars
Operationalizing Performance Management in a Health Department Public Health Foundation This session will equip participants with practical insights and strategies that can be immediately applied to effectively operationalize performance management. Webinars
Building a Performance Management System Using the Foundational Public Health Services Framework Public Health Foundation This webinar will guide participants through the process of using the Foundational Public Health Services framework to develop a performance management system in public health agencies. Explore the key principles of performance management and quality improvement, along with actionable steps for designing and implementing a performance management system tailored to your health department’s needs. Webinars
Best Practices and Insights for Designing Effective Performance Management Systems in Public Health Public Health Foundation In this webinar, the Public Health Foundation and ASTHO showcase best practices for establishing and enhancing performance management systems within public health departments. Two jurisdictions, one local and one state, share insights from navigating their own real-world experiences, successes, and challenges establishing a robust performance management framework within their organizations. Webinars
Performance Management Toolkit (Public Health Foundation) Public Health Foundation The PM toolkit is divided into approaches to performance management and performance management system framework components and resources Tool/Template
Turning Point Performance Management Self-Assessment Tool Public Health Foundation A tool for assessing what components of a performance management system an agency has in place and what it needs to develop. Tool/Template
All Systems Go Public Health Informatics Institute, NACCHO Prior to selecting an information system or software for performance management, it is important to complete a requirements gathering process. This resource offers initial guidance on important considerations for selecting a system and an initial planning checklist. Tool/Template
"Santa Clara County Public Health Department Quality Improvement Plan (2016) " Santa Clara County Health Department An example QI plan from a PHAB accredited local health department Example Documentation
Scott County Health Department Quality Improvement Plan Scott County Health Department An example QI plan from a local health department submitted for the Accreditation Support Initiative (ASI) Example Documentation
2017-2018 QI Plan Tacoma Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department The Quality Improvement plan for Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Example Documentation
Performance Management Training Series University at Albany, Center for Public Health Continuing Education Web training from NY State Webinars
Utilizing the Advanced Tools of QI to Leverage the Power and Reach of Public Health Public Health Foundation The article discusses the advanced tools of QI and how they interact with and support the PDCA process. It specifically highlights the Affinitiy Diagram and Interrelationship Diagraph, providing step-by-step instructions along with examples of how they were applied. Article
General Guidance to Support a Quality Improvement Council ASTHO ASTHO prepared general guidance, recommenda ons, and resources to guide the development of a Quality Improvement (QI) Council as well as assist in improvements to QI processes consistent with PHAB Accredita on Standards and Measures. Guide
Team Charter Template Public Health Foundation This template will help outline the mission, targeted goals and objectives, and team member roles and responsibilities for any team including a Quality Council and QI project teams. A team charter helps to clarify the mission of a team and helps the members stay on task. Tool/Template
Charter Template Guide ASTHO This template will help outline the mission, targeted goals and objectives, and team member roles and responsibilities for any team including a Quality Council and QI project teams. A team charter helps to clarify the mission of a team and helps the members stay on task. Guide
Lean six sigma powerpoint (Tacoma Pierce County Health Department) Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department A PowerPoint presentation from Tacoma/Pierce County comparing QI methods Slideshow
Title Author Description Type
American Society for Quality Certification American Society for Quality As an agency gains more experience with QI, staff may need advanced training. ASQ offers 17 different certification exams that require varying levels of knowledge and experience. The "QI Associate" and "Quality Process Analyst" certifications are ideal for staff responsible for leading QI efforts. Certification
Building A Healthy Community Game Facilitation Guide Boston Public Health Commission A game developed by Boston Public Health Commission to allow staff to apply QI principles in a hands on way and within a public health context. See accompanying "Building A Healthy Community Game" PowerPoint. Activity
NACCHO Compendium Of QI Trainings NACCHO The QI training compendium contains a list of free quality improvement (QI) training resources for staff offered by national, state, and local partners. These resources include webinars, self-paced courses, and training tools of varying lengths, all available free of charge. Activity
Developing Internal Quality Improvement and Performance Management training Modules ASTHO This guidance document outlines a structured approach to developing QI and PM training modules, based on he New Mexico Department of Health's (NMDOH) experiences and lessons learned. By following the adaptable processes within, agencies can effectively plan and implement training initiatives tailored to their workforce's unique requirements. Guide
Tacoma-Pierce County Employee Development and Performance Review Tool Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department "Leaders can increase accountability around QI by incorporating QI into position descriptions and the performance-appraisal process. This example performance appraisal tool shows how Tacoma-Pierce incorporates QI competencies. " Example Documentation
Title Author Description Type
Measuring Customer Satisfaction: Nine Steps to Success ASTHO Outlines a 9-step process for public health agencies to collect and apply meaningful customer satisfaction data. Guide
Measuring Customer Satisfaction: Improving the experience of King County’s customers King County, WA Guidance on an implementation framework for managing customer satisfaction, a common design for measuring customer satisfaction across programs, strategies for making service delivery improvements, and tools and resources for measuring customer satisfaction. Guide
Identifying and Understanding Customer Needs Worksheet NACCHO This worksheet helps examine customer needs and metrics for understanding the customer Tool/Template
Empathy Template NACCHO An empathy map can help you understand the emotional and human context of a situation and gain insight into the needs, motivations, experiences, and expectations of a person or group of people. This tool can be used in a QI project to better understand the “customer” or community experience of the program, service, or process you seek to improve. Tool/Template
Empathy Worksheet NACCHO An empathy map can help you understand the emotional and human context of a situation and gain insight into the needs, motivations, experiences, and expectations of a person or group of people. This tool can be used in a QI project to better understand the “customer” or community experience of the program, service, or process you seek to improve. Tool/Template
Title Author Description Type
Personal Mandala Worksheet De Beaumont Foundation A mandala is a visual representation of prized values, beliefs, and viewpoints held by individuals and groups that captures their essence of spirit. This activity is a useful tool to build connections and trust across members of a QI project team. Tool/Template
Guide to Virtual Facilitation and Collaboration NACCHO Due to Covid-19, the field is transitioning from in-person to virtual meetings. This guide for virtual facilitation and collaboration identifies resources, strategies, and tools that health departments and their partners can use to design and facilitate virtual QI processes. Guide
Title Author Description Type
Quality Tools Website American Society for Quality Contains a list of useful quality tools, including tool descriptions, instructions for use, examples, and other materials for each tool. Tool/Template
“Science of Improvement on a Whiteboard” free video series Institute for Healthcare Improvement Short QI training videos on various topics including PDSA, specific QI tools like Flowcharts and Driver Diagrams, and writing performance measures, to name a few. Webinars
Comparing Lean and QI Methodologies Whitepaper Institute for Healthcare Improvement This whitepaper comparing the Lean approach to the IHI Model for Improvement compares the two, highlighting their similarities and differences and discussing ways that they can be combined to apply the strengths of each approach to QI. Article
Driver Diagram Worksheet NACCHO A driver diagram is a visual display of the key drivers of a complex challenge which allows QI teams to visually conduct a root cause analysis and identify change solutions that may impact the Aim statement for a QI project. This worksheet provides instructions and a template for completing a driver diagram. Tool/Template
QI on the CHIP: Project Chart Template NACCHO This project charter guides communities through a process to conduct a quality improvement (QI) project of a community health improvement plan (CHIP) priority area. This template pushes communities to frame QI around the root causes of health inequity and engage cross-sectoral partners and community members in the improvement process. Tool/Template
The ABCs of PDCA (Grace Gorenflo, NACCHO) NACCHO This article provides an overview of the PDCA cycle for QI including what to consider when starting a QI project and the basic elements in each phase of the cycle. Article
QI Project Nomination Form NACCHO This form outlines key considerations for selecting a QI project and can be given to staff to think through critical questions when determining whether a QI project is needed to improve performance. Tool/Template
Guide to Prioritization Techniques NACCHO This document outlines five prioritization methods to select the top priority QI projects, including descriptions of each method as well as examples of how LHDs have used the methods. Guide
QI Storyboard Template National Network of Public Health Institutes This storyboard template is a one-page, graphic representation of a completed QI project. Storyboards are an effective way of communicating results of a QI project throughout the agency. They can be displayed on the walls, e-mailed to staff, included in an organization-wide newsletter, posted on the agency website, etc. Tool/Template
Selecting QI Team Members Public Health Foundation This brief guide offers some qualities to look for when selecting members of a QI team Guide
QI Team Member Selection Characteristics Public Health Foundation This excel tool contains a matrix that assists in selecting QI Team members based on various characteristics Tool/ Template
QI Project Tracking Sheet Sedgwick County Health Department This checklist lists out every key step in the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) process, allowing the user to track progress on a QI project. Tool/Template