2008-2009 Scholar Leadership Projects
| Boatwright, Clair |
New Paradigms in Communication -- A Handbook for Public Health Leaders
The purpose of this project is to use experience and apply research to create a handbook for use in a government/business setting that identifies new trends and issues in communications through texts, Internet exploration and seminars.
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| Faulk, Elizabeth |
Early Prenatal Care Initiative
The purpose of this project is to improve access for women with positive pregnant results to prenatal care and support services, Women Infant and Children (WIC) services and Maternity Care Coordination (MCC) through improved triage and referral services provided at the Beatties Ford Road facility of the Mecklenburg County Health Department. A key focus of this project is to engage clinical, WIC and MCC leaders and staff in joint problem solving and collaboration to identify opportunities and strategies to improve the quality, timeliness and continuity of services provided to pregnant women through the Health Department. One result of the project is the establishment of a multidisciplinary, multi-program approach to ongoing communication and collaboration to support change in the provision of services for pregnant women. This project was chosen because of the importance and priority of the improvement, as well as the opportunities afforded to grow and develop leadership skills in collaboration and leading change. |
| Fuller, Amanda |
Potassium Iodide Updated
The purpose of this project is to update the materials and website related to potassium iodide (KI). The NRC continues to supply states with potassium iodide for stockpiling and distribution. North Caolina’s reference materials and website have not been updated since late 2003. |
| Gray, Sarah |
Utilizing the “SHINE LINE” to Improve and Promote Quality Customer Service
The purpose of this project, titled the “SHINE Line,” is to increase the overall effectiveness of addressing customer concerns by installing a dedicated phone line and tracking forms to document feedback and corrective actions. |
| Holloman, Roxanne |
Champion for LEAN Quality Improvement Process as a Method of On-going Continuous Improvement
The purpose of this project was to implement LEAN QI in the Northeastern NC Partnership for Public Health (NENCPPH) region. This project was done in partnership with the NC Center for Public Health Quality and local government who seek for continuous quality improvement. LEAN is an improvement methodology based on customer centered value through elimination of non value added waste such as; time, motion, materials, space, inventory and money. Lean practices empower employees and they become committed to continuous quality improvement, a continuous process of change and adaptation because they find not only do they have a voice, their jobs become easier and results to the customer better. |
| Long, Rachel |
Expanding Public Health Epidemiology in Western North Carolina
In response to local health departments urging for an expansion of surveillance, the purpose of this project is to provide surveillance of Emergency Department data to regional hospitals. This is not done at present by any other PHE in the state. In order for this to happen, it will require agreements by several different entities. Those are: hospitals, public health, NC Data Link and NC DETECT. |
| McCall, Pam |
Increasing Client Access and Clinic Efficiency through Open Access Scheduling
The purpose of this project is to successfully implement a new clinic appointment scheduling system for the medical clinics of the Orange County, North Carolina Health Department. Open Access scheduling will be used in both medical clinic sites in Orange County. |
| Newell, Dawn |
Operator Awareness Campaign
The purpose of this project is to establish a new certified operator awareness initiative in West Virginia. In order to achieve this, several smaller projects were initiated: Water Operator Awareness Campaign, Water Operator Training Trailer, and Water Operator-Themed Annual Calendar.
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| Nitcheva, Daniela |
Establishing a Quality Control Process for Vital Statistics Data
The purpose of the project is to establish a process for improving the quality of South Carolina vital statistics data. The vital statistics data consist of 6 different data sets per year – births, deaths, fetal deaths, induced terminations, marriages, and divorces. The process of obtaining these data sets as well as the content of each of these data sets has changed in the past 5 years. These changes have made necessary to establish a new process for improving the quality of the data sets. The process has three components: identifying errors in vital statistics data by using internal and external resources; obtaining correct data; and implementing the corrections. |
| Norton, Katie |
Implementing Provider Based Appointments for FP/STD
The purpose of this project is to implement a provider based appointment system in DHEC, Region 4 for the Family Planning and STD programs. Provider-based appointment systems allow for increased focus on patient care delivery standards for each provider as well as increased ability to serve patients. This type of appointment system will require close coordination between nursing and administrative staff to implement and succeed. |
| Place, Janet |
Developing the National Tier 1 Core Public Health Competencies: Strengthening the Workforce Development Roadmap
The purpose of this project was to develop the national Tier 1 (Entry Level/non MPH) Core Public Health Competencies. These will be used to create a roadmap for professional development from entry level to senior leadership, by more clearly defining the expected level of proficiency on a continuum. As part of this effort, I wanted to get a better understanding of how public health agencies were using competencies By better defining appropriate levels of competency on a professional development continuum and understanding what tools employers need, we can better assess and train new employees and build career ladders. |
| Proescholdbell, Scott |
Enhancing North Carolina’s Capacity for Injury Data through Better Surveillance Utilization
The purpose of this project is to increase and enhance the general injury surveillance system for North Carolina to be more systematic, routine and timely. Injury surveillance is often referred to as the backbone of injury prevention. This project provides an opportunity to better utilize, collect and disseminate injury data (in user-friendly formats) by working with national, state and local experts. This project will then work with a wide array of North Carolina public health partners to provide injury and violence data to better support their programs. By providing quality injury surveillance data in usable ways, we hope to increase injury and violence’s stature both internally and externally. Specifically, this project will develop an injury data inventory, data tables/charts and presentations to be used by Injury and Violence Prevention Branch staff to raise awareness or by injury partners using data to support their initiatives. |
| Rao, Chandrika |
Creating a North Carolina Central Cancer Registry Newsletter
The purpose of this project is to promote the activities and services provided by the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry (CCR) and to communicate to the facilities about the importance of timely reporting of cancer data to the CCR. This was primarily done through the use of a Newsletter. The Newsletter highlights some of the research studies that address the burden of cancer, programs and policies that focus on early detection of cancer, and improve cancer prevention and control outcomes among North Carolinians. The publication of the Newsletter was approved by the Public Affairs of the Division of Public Health in April 2009 while simultaneously an announcement was made at the CCR staff meeting to submit articles to the Newsletter by Jun15. |
| Rivers, Ed |
Program Standards, Quality Improvement, and Innovative Procedures: Working toward a “Model Environmental Health Program”
The purpose of this project was to employ technology and innovative procedures aimed at improving customer service wherein a “distributed operations” model, in which staff can perform all operations necessary to complete tasks in the field, would be developed to increase efficiency and improve customer service. |
| Royster, Michael |
Advancing Health Equity: From Theory to Practice
The purpose of this project is to lead the planning and execution of the first health equity conference in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I am one of the two co-chairs for the conference planning committee. In that capacity, I am also co-chair of the program subcommittee. The conference will present a framework for promoting health equity that focuses on the impact of the neighborhood environment (physical, social, economic, etc.) on health equity. The framework is based on a commitment to the value of social justice. |
| Sojourner, Caroline |
Development of a Public Health Family Planning Drug Formulary
The purpose of this project is to develop a successful, clinically appropriate, readily accessible family planning drug formulary that promotes rational, safe, cost-effective products that may be prescribed by clinicians in the state’s health departments. A key component of this project is the assurance of optimal pharmaceutical care for public health family planning clients while recognizing the need to balance the equation between quality health care and cost. Additionally, following development and finalization of the formulary, this resource must be communicated and made available in an easily accessible, electronic format to public health agency staff. |
| Stafford, John |
Mobile Water Treatment Facility Evaluation and Design
The purpose of this project is to define a prototype portable water treatment unit that is both cost effective and can meet current state and federal requirements for safe drinking water. The ability to meet such standards is critically important, given the fact that those consuming the water assume it is safe. During a disaster those impacted may be desperate for water leaving little or no time for proper testing. To the uninformed all mobile water sanitation units are impressive, yet the intended use, performance and knowledge of the designers vary widely. |
| Tolani, Sadhana |
Bridging the Transportation Gap for WIC & Family Planning Participants in Horry County
The purpose of this project is to establish a collaborative initiative with the region’s transportation company, Coast Rapid Transit Authority (Coast RTA) and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) Region 6 to bridge the transportation gap within the remote rural communities of Horry County. The idea for this initiative came about because clients routinely cite a lack of transportation as a reason for non-compliance with scheduled appointments. |
| Williams, Debbie |
“You Want Me to do What? Work Until When?”: A Creative Approach to Expanding Hours of Operation
The purpose of this project is to answer the request found in a recent customer satisfaction survey asking for extended afternoon clinic hours. This project includes a proposal to extend all clinic hours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until 6:00 pm. |
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12/9/10
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