Impact of Accreditation on Health Department Financial Resources

Abstract

Context:There is limited data available on the financial benefits of public health accreditation.Objective: This study assessed the financial impacts reported by public health departments as a result of participating in the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) national accreditation program. Design: Data from an ongoing survey of outcomes among health departments accredited for 1 year were linked to PHAB administrative data on health department characteristics to examine self-reported financial impacts of accreditation as of June 2020. Setting: Accredited public health departments in the United States. Participants: Leadership from 214 unique state, local, Tribal, and Army installation health departments that had been accredited for 1 year by PHAB. Main Outcome Measure(s): Improved utilization of resources, increased competitiveness for funding opportunities, and new funding resulting from accreditation. Results: One year following accreditation, 57% of all responding health departments reported improved utilization of resources whereas less than half reported improved competitiveness for funding (39%) and new funding (23%) as a result of accreditation. Health departments reporting new funding as a result of accreditation, compared with those that did not report new funding, were also more likely to report other outcomes from accreditation, including improved staff competencies, increased health department capacity to address health priorities and provide high-quality programs and services, increased use of evidence-based practices, new opportunities for external partnerships and collaboration, improved understanding of the health department's role among governing entities and policy makers, and improved credibility. Accredited local health departments (LHDs) with annual budgets less than $10 million reported new funding more often than LHDs with larger annual budgets. Conclusions: Accredited health departments that reported new funding were also more likely to report other outcomes of accreditation, including improved staff competencies, new partnerships, and improved credibility. More research is needed to further understand the relationship between accreditation and financial impacts.

Local Health Departments' Characteristics and Their Performance Scores in PHAB Accreditation Standards

“…11,12 Studies demonstrate the potential that PHAB accreditation has to transform PH practice and improve PH agency capabilities to deliver essential PH services. 13,14 For example, benefits regarding performance management, quality improvement, accountability, and transparency have been associated with accreditation, [15][16][17][18] as well as areas of practice such as resource planning, 19 community engagement, 15,20 and the ability to identify and address gaps in workforce development. 15 Despite these benefits, a majority of LHDs have not been accredited yet in this relatively new process in which the first agencies were accredited in 2013.…”

Benefits and Impacts of Public Health Accreditation for Small Local Health Departments

“…11 Studies have found that accredited LHDs were more likely to report higher capacity for evidence-based decision making and evaluation than health departments that were not yet preparing for PHAB accreditation, 12 and accredited LHDs are more likely to report new funding as a result of accreditation, improved staff competencies, and new opportunities for partnerships and collaboration. 13 Given the barriers to applying and the relatively low rate of application for accreditation among smaller LHDs, there is a need to explore how the experiences and benefits of accreditation differ across LHDs of different sizes. This study sought to explore the benefits of accreditation reported by LHDs after becoming accreditation and compare the experiences of small LHDs with medium and large LHDs.…”

“…These include improved and implemented new quality improvement (QI) and performance management efforts; strengthened partnerships; improved internal and external transparency and accountability; improved workforce training and development; and improved utilization of resources 11. Studies have found that accredited LHDs were more likely to report higher capacity for evidence-based decision making and evaluation than health departments that were not yet preparing for PHAB accreditation,12 and accredited LHDs are more likely to report new funding as a result of accreditation, improved staff competencies, and new opportunities for partnerships and collaboration 13…”