Dr. Frieden on the implementation gap

The new director of CDC Tom Frieden spoke in Chapel Hill recently and said something I thought was interesting and provocative about managing in public health. (You can hear part of the talk on YouTube). Here's what he said:
We have an implementation gap. The gap between what we know and what we wish to know is huge. But the gap between what we know and what we do is even larger.
In other words, we need to pay more attention to execution. We know what's important, and for the most part we know what things would need to happen to make a difference in those important areas. So what would it take to change the "what we do" side of the equation? Effective plans that are doable.

--Steve Orton

From the Management Academy Director

NACCHO (the National Association of County and City Health Officials) offers a Model Practices Program that "recognizes initiatives that demonstrate exemplary and replicable qualities in response to identified public health needs."
This year, there were 23 local health departments that received Model Practices Awards. Their projects focused on a a variety of topics, including the following that may be of interest to you:
  • Vaccination on Wheels - Take It To The Streets
  • Accreditation Preparedness
  • Ensuring a Competent Public Health Workforce
  • A Communicable Disease Prevention and Response Tool for Schools

And, in the past, a couple of North Carolina teams have also had winning entries:

  • Henderson County Health Department - Influenza Vaccination Program
  • Cabarrus County Health Alliance - Transitioning from a Public Health Department to a Public Health Authority
Have you and your staff submitted any Model Practices? Have you visited the website and searched for Model Practices within the Database? Would you be interested in contributing to a Model Practices Database reserved just for your state and their public health initiatives?