CHA, Chip, Strategic Plan and QI, Oh My!: The Epidemiologists Expanding Role through Accreditation *

BACKGROUND:  The Cambridge Public Health Department (CPHD) is a municipal health department located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  CPHD serves a population of 106, 355 with two staff dedicated to the Division of Epidemiology and Data Services.  Approximately two years ago, CPHD began a path toward becoming one of the first accredited health departments in Massachusetts.  To date, we have completed the three pre-requisites required by the Public Health Accreditation Board and are developing our quality improvement plan.  The Division of Epidemiology and Data Services has led this effort and continues to spearhead CPHD’s goal to instill continuous quality improvement as guiding principle in all of the work done at the health department. 

METHODS:  Since the inception of our accreditation efforts at the Cambridge Public Health Department continual feedback and reflection has been a cornerstone of our work. Through multiple surveys with staff and residents, key informant interviews with partners, and consultants we have identified a number of challenges and successes that continue to shape our path to achieve and maintain a nationally accredited health department. 

RESULTS:  Epidemiologists’ roles now go beyond surveillance and include an expanding skill set of quality improvement and performance management. 

CONCLUSIONS:   Local epidemiologists’ roles continue to expand and will likely require additional workforce development strategies and opportunities to meet the growing needs of health departments. Given staffing constraints,other health department staff may need to become more versed in quality improvement, performance management and data collection.  Developing a shared set of trainings and resources at the national level would benefit and enhance the growing epidemiologist's role.