Liberating Structures in Strategic Planning: Methods to Foster Engagement

This paper describes the innovative approach of using liberating structures to the development of the AUR 2023 strategic plan, and lessons learned in their application. The 2023 strategic plan built on the results and approach of the prior 2015 plan. Similar to the 2015 strategic plan, traditional tools such as a SWOT analysis and strategic retreat were used. In addition, the 2023 process included tools called liberating structures and was iteratively co-produced through a series of virtual meetings over 18 months. Advantages of liberating structures included increased creativity and speed in moving through meeting tasks, increased number of meaningful contributions from AUR members and increased engagement from participants during discussions and meetings. The 2023 AUR strategic plan is provided along with examples of completed goals and those under early implementation. Lessons learned from using these tools for strategic planning can be applied to other society and group meetings. Moving forward, the 2023 strategic plan will be a living document, which will be reviewed at each Board of Directors meeting and periodically adapted.

ASHP and ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Forecast 2024: Strategic Planning Guidance for Pharmacy Departments in Hospitals and Health Systems

Purpose: The 2024 ASHP Pharmacy Forecast identifies and contextualizes emerging issues and trends that will influence healthcare, health systems, and the pharmacy profession and provides recommendations to inform long-term strategic planning that should prompt action by pharmacists and health-system leaders. Methods: Drawing on the “wisdom of crowds” concept, a survey was constructed with 6 general themes, each with 6 to 9 focused statements and a seventh theme on preparedness (58 survey items in total). The size of and representation within the survey panel were intended to capture opinions from a wide range of pharmacy leaders. The survey instructed panelists to consider the likelihood of the events/scenarios described in the statements occurring in the next 5 years as being likely, somewhat likely, somewhat unlikely, or very unlikely. Then, survey panelists assessed the preparedness (from very unprepared to very prepared) for 12 of the statements. Results: The 6 survey themes identified were Urgent Public Health Priorities, Responding to the Mental Health Crisis, Achieving Care Equity, New Disease Paradigms and Treatment Innovations, Workforce: Focus on Culture for the Future, and Artificial Intelligence: Can Ethics and Regulators Catch Up? The survey was completed by 250 respondents, yielding an 88% response rate. Analysis of survey results was provided by chapter authors along with strategic recommendations to guide actions for each theme. Conclusion: The focus of the Pharmacy Forecast is on large-scale, long-term trends that will influence healthcare and the pharmacy profession over months and years and not on day-to-day situational dynamics. The report provides insight to stimulate thinking and discussion and provides a starting point to proactively position leaders, their teams, and departments for potential future events and trends.

Regulatory Framework, Challenges, and Initial Strategic Planning for Advanced Therapy Products (PTAs) Development in Brazil

Advanced Therapies are a class of innovative complex biological products used for therapeutic purposes, encompassing cell therapy, tissue engineering, and gene therapy products. These are promising therapeutic strategies for several complex diseases with low or non-existent therapeutic alternatives. The proper transposition of basic research in this area into medicinal products must comply with regulatory requirements. Here we review the main regulatory recommendations, emphasizing on the Brazilian regulation. The critical points are the manufacturing process, challenges in characterizing the product, development of non-clinical trials, lack of adequate animal models representative of the clinical situation, and absence of valid and measurable therapeutic endpoints. Based on that, we propose a framework for strategic planning of pre-clinical studies in this field. The detailed example involves producing a nonviral vector-based gene editing product, but the regulations and methods may be extrapolated for developing different types of advanced therapies.

Presented and prioritizing waste management strategies using SWOT and QSPM approach in two private hospitals in Yazd in 2021

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to present a strategic waste management in two private hospitals in Yazd using models of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) and quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM).

METHODS

The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the organization was identified according to existing documents and expert team. The internal and external factors were identified by internal factor evaluation (IFE) and external factor evaluation (EFE) matrices. The strategies to improve waste management in two hospitals were presented by comparing internal and external factors. Finally, the attractiveness table was compiled and weighted using the QSPM method to prioritize the strategies.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that 24 strengths, 30 weaknesses, 16 opportunities, and 22 threats were identified. The final score of internal and external factors for hospital A and B were (X: 2.37, Y:1.88) and (X: 2.37, Y: 2.01), respectively. Based on the results, 12 strategies were presented. Finally, the strategy of "the improvement of green management indicators" was implemented as a priority according to QSPM matrix.

CONCLUSION

The result of this study duplicated that using the QSPM and SWOT models is assist to present viable strategies to improve the health-care waste management.

Injury modelling for strategic planning in protecting the national infrastructure from terrorist explosive events

Terrorist events in the form of explosive devices have occurred and remain a threat currently to the population and the infrastructure of many nations worldwide. Injuries occur from a combination of a blast wave, energised fragments, blunt trauma and burns. The relative preponderance of each injury mechanism is dependent on the type of device, distance to targets, population density and the surrounding environment, such as an enclosed space, to name but a few. One method of primary prevention of such injuries is by modification of the environment in which the explosion occurs, such as modifying population density and the design of enclosed spaces. The Human Injury Predictor (HIP) tool is a computational model which was developed to predict the pattern of injuries following an explosion with the goal to inform national injury prevention strategies from terrorist attacks. HIP currently uses algorithms to predict the effects from primary and secondary blast and allows the geometry of buildings to be incorporated. It has been validated using clinical data from the '7/7' terrorist attacks in London and the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist event. Although the tool can be used readily, it will benefit from further development to refine injury representation, validate injury scoring and enable the prediction of triage states. The tool can assist both in the design of future buildings and methods of transport, as well as the situation of critical emergency services required in the response following a terrorist explosive event. The aim of this paper is to describe the HIP tool in its current version and provide a roadmap for optimising its utility in the future for the protection of national infrastructure and the population.

Changed Perceptions: Lessons Learned Regarding Nurse's Postpandemic Concerns

Through a unique set of timings, a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of a nursing department was conducted with the staff nurses of a large medical center in late 2019 and again in 2022. The intent of the 2019 analysis was bifold, to obtain rich input from nursing staff to apprise the 2020 Nursing Strategic Plan and to inform the hospital-wide core councils and the nursing unit councils on focused project work identified as Weaknesses and Threats. When the pandemic hit, work on strategic planning was paused to manage the unparalleled impact that COVID-19 had on the organization. In 2022, nursing leadership realized they had an opportunity to repeat the SWOT analysis, not only to inform the 2023 Nursing Strategic Plan but also to determine whether the perceptions of staff nurses regarding the SWOT in the nursing department had changed postpandemic. A thematic analysis provided the structure to analyze the perceptions of nurses pre- and postpandemic. This article presents our reflections for nurse leaders to consider when addressing the positive (Strengths/Opportunities) and negative (Weaknesses/Threats) perceptions of nurses in a postpandemic health care environment.

Strategic Planning: Moving From Plan to Implementation

Successful organizations depend on strategic thinkers who understand strategic planning and strategic management. These strategic leaders can proactively manage the constant environmental changes to position their organizations for a competitive advantage and avoid acting in a reactive and defensive manner. However, while organizations are often adept at developing extensive strategic plans, implementation of the plan is often poor or without a definitive strategy. This article addresses key strategies for successful implementation of changes to bring about sustainable cultural change in an organization to meet the organization's overall strategic goals, specifically through the use of implementation science.

Assessing Use, Usefulness, and Application of the High Impact Practices in Family Planning Briefs and Strategic Planning Guides

BACKGROUND

In global health, persistent barriers and challenges to bridging the gap between research and practice remain critical to address in most health areas. The High Impact Practices (HIPs) briefs and strategic planning guides aim to bridge the know-do gap in family planning (FP) by facilitating research utilization and knowledge sharing and also providing a summary of experiential knowledge from experts. The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess the use, usefulness, and application of these 2 knowledge products developed by the HIP Partnership for decision-makers and implementers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

This research used in-depth interviews with FP stakeholders from various LMICs to assess the use, usefulness, and application of 2 HIP products for FP decision-makers and implementers. The analysis was shaped by an adapted logic model framework to assess HIP product reach, engagement, usefulness, learning, and action.

RESULTS

We interviewed 35 FP professionals from January to March 2021. Participants reported that HIP products have a wide reach, have garnered positive engagement, and were useful. Participants generally liked the current format of the HIP products and reported using them to inform program design, guide discussions with partners, enhance personal knowledge, support advocacy work, and strengthen the guidance they provide to colleagues in the field. The participants shared important feedback to improve the development and dissemination of HIP products, particularly a need to enhance local access and use.

CONCLUSION

The study highlighted the importance of knowledge products, such as the HIP briefs and strategic planning guides, to make evidence and experiential knowledge accessible to a wide audience. These can be valuable tools for policymakers and program implementers to ensure public health practices are evidence-based and integrate experiential knowledge.

NINDS Health Equity Strategic Planning Process Overview, High-Level Recommendations, and Guide

Neurologic mortality is increasing in the United States and is occurring in an inequitable manner. There is a major need for innovative research strategies to eliminate these inequities. In 2020, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) embarked on a health equity strategic planning process, which culminated in a 3-day public workshop and research recommendations provided by a working group of its National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council (NANDSC WG) to the NINDS. This Neurology® supplement is dedicated to the NINDS health equity strategic planning process. As cochairs of the NANDS WG, we developed this summary to provide an overview of the process and a guide for navigating this special issue. Detailed recommendations from the NANDS WG are distributed throughout various articles in this supplement and supported with extensive commentary on the state of the science in health equity. Consolidated high-level recommendations from this process are presented at the end of this article.

Emergency management and HAZMAT mitigation: Strategic planning for new developments

In cases of accidental hazardous materials (HAZMAT) release, several emergency management responses can be taken to maintain the safety of the living environment. This study focuses on building a long-range planning, urban development model for hazards addressing where development zones should be located to mitigate exposure to HAZMAT and minimize evacuations. Interviews and meta-analytic manipulation of data were used to demonstrate flaws in three industrial cities' disaster management plans. These data were also used to influence development in plain model areas where hydrogen sulfide or other hazardous materials could accidentally be released. The Areal Location of Hazardous Atmospheres (ALOHA) model was used to simulate physical conditions affecting the hydrogen sulfide gas released from Mesaieed Industrial City in the State of Qatar, and Mapping Application for Response, Planning, and Local Operational Tasks mapping was used to display ALOHA threat estimates. Findings represent a considerable improvement to the urban developments in areas near HAZMAT risk zones and can be applied to other international industrial areas.

Testing Rover Science Protocols to Identify Possible Biosignatures on Mars: Achieving Sampling Goals Under a Highly Constrained Time Line

At a Mars analog site in Utah, we tested two science operation methods for data acquisition and decision-making protocols: a scenario where the tactical day is preplanned, but major adjustments may still be made before plan delivery; and a scenario in which the sol path must largely be planned before a given tactical planning day and very few adjustments to the plan may be made. The goal was to provide field-tested insight into operations planning for rover missions where science operations must facilitate the efficient choice of sampling locations at a site relevant to searching for habitability and biosignatures. Results of the test indicate that preplanning sol paths did not result in a sol cost savings nor did it improve science return or optimal biologically relevant sample collection. In addition because facies variations in an environment can be subtle and evident only at scales below orbital resolution, acquiring systematic observations is crucial. We also noted that while spectral data provided insight into the chemical components as a whole at this site, they did not provide a guide to targets for which the traverse should be altered. Finally, strategic science planning must include a special effort to account for terrain.

Nursing Strategic Imperatives: Engaging Nurses in Strategy Development and Execution to Drive Value

Strategic plans provide a roadmap for value creation by outlining key priorities that, when executed successfully, enhance quality and efficiency. Nurses are uniquely positioned to inform strategic planning because of their understanding of clinical operations and consumer needs. This article describes a multiphase process for engaging nurses, at all levels, in developing, implementing, and revising a nursing strategic plan over a 5-year period.

Unified waste metrics: A gamified tool in next-generation strategic planning

A gamification approach for tackling waste management planning and urban development provide a more engaging and interactive experience with high pedagogical potential. Existing serious games involving waste management are complex in their data ingestion, use, and presentation, limiting individuals' opportunities to gain knowledge and decision-making skills transferrable to the real world. Simulations, by comparison, provide either an oversimplified and unrealistic user interface or explore in depth individual rather than aggregate key performance indicators for waste management, limiting potential knowledge retention. There is a clear opportunity in creating an informative, easy-to-use simulation-based game to help stakeholders build understanding of waste management policies, performance, and causal relationships. This gamified tool provides clear feedback through quick-visibility performance indicators (i.e., waste accumulation index, waste compositional analysis, prevention activities etc.) and offers the opportunity, through multi-criteria decision making, of simulating real-life scenarios and previewing the possible outcomes of certain in-game actions. The research question is how the process of gamification might serve as powerful tool for educating decision makers. The results are considered as a reference point to any policy maker intending to assess environmental performance, proposed activities to reach Circular Economy targets, and European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Strategic Planning and Essential Steps for Establishing a Uterine Transplant and Rehabilitation Program: From Idea to Reality

UTx is performed to address absolute uterine infertility in the presence of uterine agenesis, a nonfunctional uterus, or after a prior hysterectomy. After the initial success of UTx resulting in a livebirth (2014) in Sweden, there are over 70 reported UTx surgeries resulting in more than 40 livebirths worldwide. Currently, UTx has been performed in over 10 countries. As UTx is transitioning from an "experimental procedure" to a clinical option, an increasing number of centers may contemplate a UTx program. This article discusses essential steps for establishment of a successful UTx program. These principles may be implemented in cis- and transgender UTx candidates.

Successful strategic planning

5 ideas for engaging clinical nurses in the strategic planning process.

Using modeling and scenario analysis to support evidence-based health workforce strategic planning in Malawi

BACKGROUND

A well-trained and equitably distributed workforce is critical to a functioning health system. As workforce interventions are costly and time-intensive, investing appropriately in strengthening the health workforce requires an evidence-based approach to target efforts to increase the number of health workers, deploy health workers where they are most needed, and optimize the use of existing health workers. This paper describes the Malawi Ministry of Health (MoH) and collaborators' data-driven approach to designing strategies in the Human Resources for Health Strategic Plan (HRH SP) 2018-2022.

METHODS

Three modelling exercises were completed using available data in Malawi. Staff data from districts, central hospitals, and headquarters, and enrollment data from all health training institutions were collected between October 2017 and February 2018. A vacancy analysis was conducted to compare current staffing levels against established posts (the targeted number of positions to be filled, by cadre and work location). A training pipeline model was developed to project the future available workforce, and a demand-based Workforce Optimization Model was used to estimate optimal staffing to meet current levels of service utilization.

RESULTS

As of 2017, 55% of established posts were filled, with an average of 1.49 health professional staff per 1000 population, and with substantial variation in the number of staff per population by district. With current levels of health worker training, Malawi is projected to meet its establishment targets in 2030 but will not meet the WHO standard of 4.45 health workers per 1000 population by 2040. A combined intervention reducing attrition, increasing absorption, and doubling training enrollments would allow the establishment to be met by 2023 and the WHO target to be met by 2036. The Workforce Optimization Model shows a gap of 7374 health workers to optimally deliver services at current utilization rates, with the largest gaps among nursing and midwifery officers and pharmacists.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the time and significant financial investment required to train and deploy health workers, evidence needs to be carefully considered in designing a national HRH SP. The results of these analyses directly informed Malawi's HRH SP 2018-2022 and have subsequently been used in numerous planning processes and investment cases in Malawi. This paper provides a practical methodology for evidence-based HRH strategic planning and highlights the importance of strengthening HRH data systems for improved workforce decision-making.

Medical Affairs and Innovative Medicinal Product Strategy Development

Innovative medicinal products are required for progress in many therapeutic areas, and in particular, oncology. For these products to succeed, pharmaceutical companies must generate the relevant and robust clinical data required to meet the needs of regulators and healthcare providers. In addition, real-world and health economic evidence is increasingly required to support pricing and reimbursement for innovative medicinal products. To incorporate all of these requirements into the innovative medicinal product strategy early in development, the core principles of how product strategies are developed and applied must be revisited and end-to-end strategic planning implemented. This paper reviews the hurdles faced during development of the integrated strategy for innovative medicinal products, particularly in the oncology field, and examines which functions of a pharmaceutical company should play the greatest role in addressing patient and different stakeholders' needs. It will then illustrate how Medical Affairs activities are evolving to take on this strategic leadership role.

The impact of sustainability strategic planning and management on the organizational sustainable performance: A developing-country perspective

The purpose of this article is to comprehensively describe the impact of sustainability strategic planning and management (SSPM) on organisational sustainable performance in a developing country context. A mixed method approach was adopted; data were collected using an interview and a survey targeting 126 organisations operating in the foremost polluting Palestinian manufacturing private sectors. The analyses were conducted employing thematic analysis and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results from data analysis confirm that SSPM had a positive effect on the three dimensions of organisational sustainable performance (i.e. social, ecological and economic). Furthermore, the paper has developed a framework to facilitate integrating SSPM into the business model of manufacturing organisations in a developing country context. This paper is considered among the very few studies exploring the 'questioned' impacts of SSPM on organisational sustainable performance in a developing country.

Strategic planning, components and evolution in zoonotic diseases frameworks: one health approach and public health ethics

Zoonotic diseases are seen as a major public health concern. Routes of the rapid transmission of zoonotic diseases and the economic damage they cause to communities are all reasons why health institutions and systems need to pay more attention to these diseases. Strategic planning is one of the important tasks of policymakers in every organization and system. It is a very reliable and useful tool for leading all kinds of organizations, including health organizations. Countries with clear policy plans have succeeded in controlling and reducing zoonotic diseases. Such countries used appropriate strategic planning and pursued annual goals to control and prevent diseases. Three important steps (strategy development, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation) should be considered in developing a strategic planning for controlling and prevention of zoonotic diseases. Health systems need to develop strategic planning in order to upgrade their capabilities in combating zoonotic diseases. These programs must be flexible, in line with the one health approach, based on the current needs, and aligned with the new challenges faced with health systems. The strategic planning is directly related to national and international policies, organizational goals and missions, dynamism, degree of complexity, and organizational structure of each country's health system.

Evaluation of different strategic planning approaches in a forest plantation in the North of Misiones Province, Argentina

In this paper we evaluate different models and constraints to define strategic planning approaches. In addition, we analyze the best models to meet the expectations generated by the organization. A forest company situated in the province of Misiones, Argentina, provided the data. Hence, forest growth was simulated and, ultimately, optimized planning was used to evaluate different scenarios with 50-year horizon. The best results to stabilize log production were obtained when the harvest is relaxed in ±2 years. Relaxing the clear-cut age leads to a better balance in planting, thinning (1, 2, 3 and 4) and clear felling operations. We found that when maximizing the economic benefit, the NPV is slightly higher, however, this is not significant. In this sense, the planner chooses an economic or volumetric objective function. Furthermore, we demonstrated that model 1 presented better results than model 2 because it manages to stabilize production in the planning horizon. The results allow forest companies to see the implication of choosing the model for strategic planning.

A data management framework for strategic urban planning using blue-green infrastructure

Spatial planning of Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) should ideally be based on well-evaluated and context specific solutions. One important obstacle to reach this goal relates to adequate provisioning of data to ensure good governance of BGI, i.e., appropriate planning, design, construction, and maintenance. This study explores the gap between data availability and implementation of BGI in urban planning authorities in Sweden. A multi method approach including brainstorming, semi-structured interviews with urban planners and experts on BGI and Geographical Information System (GIS), and validating workshops were performed to develop a framework for structured and user-friendly data collection and use. Identified challenges concern data availability, data management, and GIS knowledge. There is a need to improve the organisation of data management and the skills of trans-disciplinary cooperation to better understand and interpret different types of data. Moreover, different strategic goals require different data to ensure efficient planning of BGI. This calls for closer interactions between development of strategic political goals and data collection. The data management framework consists of three parts: A) Ideal structure of data management in relation to planning process, data infrastructure and organisational structure, and B) A generic list of data needed, and C) The development of structures for data gathering and access. We conclude that it is essential to develop pan-municipal data management systems that bridge sectors and disciplines to ensure efficient management of the urban environment, and which is able to support the involvement of citizens to collect and access relevant data. The framework can assist in such development.

Expanding the repertoire of evaluation tools so that evaluation recommendations can assist nonprofits to enhance strategic planning and design of program operations

Data are the lifeblood of decision-making and provide a critical component into the complex mosaic from which decisions emerge. Evaluators and decision-makers should, therefore, continuously seek to explore the use of tools that can produce more meaningful, insightful, and useful data so that decision-making can be enhanced and improved. Traditional economic appraisal methods offer much and are very useful and relevant. Standard financial accounting reporting for tax purposes also provide insightful information on the organization's financial health and that of its individual programs. However, neither offer insight into cost behavior-an important consideration for making program operations more efficient and for long-term strategic planning, forecasting, and design of program operations. Before COVID-19, programs were already challenged with competition for donor dollars and the pursuit for financial sustainability. The COVID-19 environment has considerably exacerbated these challenges. In this current environment, it is more important than ever for nonprofits to optimize limited financial resources to do more societal good. This paper will illustrate how selected concepts from cost and management accounting can be used by both independent program evaluators to improve their recommendations, as well as program administrators in-charge of nonprofits to enhance decision-making.

Organic-waste-derived butyric acid-to-biodiesel supply-chain network: Strategic planning design using a deterministic snapshot model

An integrated optimization model for an organic-waste-derived butyric acid-to-butanol supply-chain network (BABSCN) is proposed to minimize the total network cost by simultaneously optimizing both strategic biodiesel production and waste management planning decisions. This model is useful for ensuring effective organic-waste provision for large-scale biodiesel production and waste management. The proposed mixed-integer linear-programming model optimizes the activities ranging from organic-waste preprocessing to butyric acid (BA), transportation of BA to biorefinery, butanol (BuOH) production and mixing with diesel to the distribution of biodiesel. This model is useful for forecasting organic-waste management biodiesel supply chains in South Korea in 2030. The case study results show that a total network cost of $US 3.16/gallon of B3 contains 3% BuOH from organic waste products combined with diesel. The biorefinery-related cost accounts for 98.3% of the total network cost, followed by the organic waste procurement cost (1.1%) and biodiesel distribution cost (0.6%). A scenario-based analysis shows that a 7%-BuOH increase in biodiesel increases the total network cost by 18.8%.

MILESTONES AND PITFALLS IN STRATEGIC PLANNING OF HEALTHCARE IN CAPITAL CITY IN TRANSITION

A little is known about healthcare sector within Strategic plan of Kyiv, which is capital of Ukraine and a city in transition. The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate implementation of strategic plan for Kyiv with the focus on healthcare sector. There were evaluated Strategic plan for Kyiv, Concept for healthcare development from the Department of Healthcare, City's target program "Health of Kyivers". Data analyses showed 13 (45%) out of 29 strategic initiatives were not implemented for healthcare sector. Data from statistical analyses indicated that low performance from Department of Healthcare was similar for all operational goals. Our findings demonstrated low implementation rate of strategic initiatives within the healthcare sector of city's Strategic plan. Possible causes of low strategic performance could be due to weak institutional relations between top and low executive levels, as well as inconsistency in strategic documents, stuff turnover.

Assessment of a Crowdsourcing Open Call for Approaches to University Community Engagement and Strategic Planning During COVID-19

IMPORTANCE

Reimagining university life during COVID-19 requires substantial innovation and meaningful community input. One method for obtaining community input is crowdsourcing, which involves having a group of individuals work to solve a problem and then publicly share solutions.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a crowdsourcing open call as an approach to COVID-19 university community engagement and strategic planning.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This qualitative study assessed a crowdsourcing open call offered from June 16 to July 16, 2020, that sought ideas to inform safety in the fall 2020 semester at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). Digital methods (email and social media) were used for promotion, and submissions were collected online for 4 weeks. Participation was open to UNC students, staff, faculty, and others.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Submissions were evaluated for innovation, feasibility, inclusivity, and potential to improve safety and well-being. Demographic data were collected from submitting individuals, and submissions were qualitatively analyzed for emergent themes on challenges with and solutions for addressing safety and well-being in the fall semester. Data were shared with UNC leadership to inform decision-making.

RESULTS

The open call received 82 submissions from 110 participants, including current UNC students (56 submissions [68%]), people younger than 30 years (67 [82%]), women (55 [67%]), and individuals identifying as a racial/ethnic minority or as multiracial/ethnic (49 [60%]). Seven submissions were identified as finalists and received cash prizes with the encouragement to use these funds toward idea development and implementation. Seventeen runner-up teams were linked to university resources for further development. Thematic analysis of submissions regarding challenges with the fall semester revealed not only physical health concerns and the limitations of remote learning but also challenges that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, such as a lack of mental health support, structural racism and inequality, and insufficient public transportation. Solutions included novel ideas to support mental health among specific populations (eg, graduate students and racial/ethnic minorities), improve health equity, and increase transit access. All 24 finalists and runners-up indicated interest in implementation after being notified of the open call results.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This study suggests that open calls are a feasible strategy for university community engagement on COVID-19, providing a stakeholder-driven approach to identifying promising ideas for enhancing safety and well-being. Open calls could be formally incorporated into university planning processes to develop COVID-19 safety strategies that are responsive to diverse community members' concerns.

Transforming the provision of healthcare through emerging technology: A strategic transformation

Why has the health care delivery paradigm and its integral transactions and interactions been left to muddle through, using archaic, 20th century modes and processes of delivery that are overlaid with byz antine medical record databases that pass for "cut ting-edge" technology? What is stalling the digital revolution in the provision of health care services to consumers? Understanding how and why this has happened requires that we briefly explore the evo lution of health care in the United States. Topics discussed include (1): morbidity and mortality: the public health era: (2) Medicare era: the advance of diagnostic and therapeutic technology; (3) the power of the consumer: patient-centered informatics; and (4) planning and execution of strategic transformation of provision of care informatics. Without an informatics focus, our health care system will continue limping along, costing more money and delivering many years of disability. Our most viable solutions revolve around using informatics to measure, guide and become the transformation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Parallels and Mutual Lessons in Tuberculosis and COVID-19 Transmission, Prevention, and Control

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had unprecedented negative effects on global health and economies, drawing attention and resources from many other public health services. To minimize negative effects, the parallels, lessons, and resources from existing public health programs need to be identified and used. Often underappreciated synergies relating to COVID-19 are with tuberculosis (TB). COVID-19 and TB share commonalities in transmission and public health response: case finding, contact identification, and evaluation. Data supporting interventions for either disease are, understandably, vastly different, given the diseases' different histories. However, many of the evolving issues affecting these diseases are increasingly similar. As previously done for TB, all aspects of congregate investigations and preventive and therapeutic measures for COVID-19 must be prospectively studied for optimal evidence-based interventions. New attention garnered by the pandemic can ensure that knowledge and investment can benefit both COVID-19 response and traditional public health programs such as TB programs.

Application of Testing-Tracing-Treatment Strategy in Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak in Seoul, Korea

BACKGROUND

Following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, China, a total of 637 patients had been diagnosed with the disease in Seoul as of May 2, 2020. Our study aimed to describe the impact of the 3T strategies (preemptive testing, prompt tracing and proper treatment) on the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in Seoul.

METHODS

The descriptive and explanatory analysis was carried out on critical indicators such as epidemiological characteristics and key duration of patient status change from January 24 to May 2 in Seoul before and after preemptive testing for patients under investigation associated with COVID-19 clusters.

RESULTS

Preemptive testing increased the positive test rate (3.9% to 4.2%), an asymptomatic case at diagnosis (16.9% to 30.6%), and reduced the time from symptom onset to quarantine (4.0 to 3.0 days). Prompt tracing decreased unknown sources of infection (6.9% to 2.8%), the mean number of contacts (32.2 to 23.6), and the time-varying reproduction number R(t) (1.3 to 0.6). With proper treatment, only 2 cases of mortality occurred, resulting in a fatality rate of just 0.3%.

CONCLUSION

In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic lasting 100 days, the effect of the 3T strategies flattened the curve and decreased the time during which infected individuals were contagious, thereby lowering the R(t) below 1 in Seoul.

Surge activation by the emergency department for COVID-19

In March 2020, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) published a national strategic plan for COVID-19, which provides general guidelines yet leaves logistical details for institutions to determine. Key capabilities from this plan provided a crucial foundation for a 16-day Emergency Department (ED) surge planning process at one pediatric institution. This paper describes critical milestones and lessons learned during this brief period, including derivation of criteria for ED surge activation, a full-scale surge drill, and the resultant ED surge protocol. The framework of real-time evaluation was used throughout the planning process and involved constant and iterative synthesis of real-time feedback from multidisciplinary stakeholders for responsive decision-making. Ultimately, the objective of this paper is to provide timely and readily actionable information to other institutions seeking guidance to apply the ACEP strategic plan for COVID-19.

Strategic planning of the integrated urban wastewater system using adaptation pathways

Emerging threats such as climate change and urbanisation pose an unprecedented challenge to the integrated management of urban wastewater systems, which are expected to function in a reliable, resilient and sustainable manner regardless of future conditions. Traditional long term planning is rather limited in developing no-regret strategies that avoid maladaptive lock-ins in the near term and allow for flexibility in the long term. In this study, a novel adaptation pathways approach for urban wastewater management is developed in order to explore the compliance and adaptability potential of intervention strategies in a long term operational period, accounting for different future scenarios and multiple performance objectives in terms of reliability, resilience and sustainability. This multi-criteria multi-scenario approach implements a regret-based method to assess the relative performance of two types of adaptation strategies: (I) standalone strategies (i.e. green or grey strategies only); and (II) hybrid strategies (i.e. combined green and grey strategies). A number of adaptation thresholds (i.e. the points at which the current strategy can no longer meet defined objectives) are defined to identify compliant domains (i.e. periods of time in a future scenario when the performance of a strategy can meet the targets). The results obtained from a case study illustrate the trade-off between adapting to short term pressures and addressing long term challenges. Green strategies show the highest performance in simultaneously meeting near and long term needs, while grey strategies are found less adaptable to changing circumstances. In contrast, hybrid strategies are effective in delivering both short term compliance and long term adaptability. It is also shown that the proposed adaption pathways method can contribute to the identification of adaptation strategies that are developed as future conditions unfold, allowing for more flexibility and avoiding long term commitment to strategies that may cause maladaptation. This provides insights into the near term and long term planning of ensuring the reliability, resilience and sustainability of integrated urban drainage systems.

Impact of Local Boards of Health on Local Health Department Accreditation, Community Health Assessment, Community Health Improvement Planning, and Strategic Planning

INTRODUCTION

Local health departments (LHDs) are increasingly using national standards to meet the challenges presented by the complex environments in which these agencies operate. Local boards of health (LBoHs) might play an instrumental role in improving LHDs' engagement in activities to meet these standards.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the impact of LBoH performance of governance functions on LHDs having a current (completed within 5 years) community health assessment (CHA), community health improvement plan (CHIP), strategic plan, and level of engagement in the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) accreditation program.

METHODS

Binary and multinomial logistic regression models were used to analyze linked data from 329 LHDs participating in both the 2015 Local Board of Health Survey and the 2016 National Profile of LHDs Survey.

RESULTS

Higher performance of LBoH governance functions, measured by an overall scale of LBoH taxonomy consisting of 60 items, had a significant positive effect on LHDs having completed CHA (P < .001), CHIP (P = .01), and strategic plan (P < .001). LHDs operating in communities with a higher score on the overall scale of LBoH taxonomy had significantly higher odds (P = .03) of having higher level of participation in the PHAB national voluntary accreditation program-that is, being accredited, having submitted application for accreditation, or being in the e-PHAB system (eg, by submitting a letter of intent).

CONCLUSIONS

LBoHs serve as governance bodies for roughly 71% of LHDs and can play a significant role in encouraging LHDs' participation in these practices. That positive influence of LBoHs can be seen more clearly if the complexity and richness of LBoH governance functions and other characteristics are measured appropriately. The study findings suggest that LBoHs are a significant component of the public health system in the United States, having positive influence on LHDs having a CHA, CHIP, strategic plan, and participation in accreditation.

A Practical Guide to Performance Improvement: Implementation of Systematic Methodologies

This article discusses performance improvement (PI) and the various methods that PI teams can use to provide a framework for improvement. Teams that complete successful PI projects use a systematic methodology that guides them through the process in a step-by-step manner, with each step building upon the previous one using data collection methods and analytics. Personnel involved with PI projects may need to use various methodologies to achieve improvement. These tools range from Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to more complex methods such as Six Sigma, which uses a define, measure, analyze, improve, and control process as its foundation. This article includes examples of how PI project team members can implement various methodologies and analysis tools to improve processes across the PI project continuum. After reviewing this article, the reader should have a better understanding of the systematic methodologies supporting the PI process. This is the third article of a six-part series about performance improvement.

'All In': a pragmatic framework for COVID-19 testing and action on a global scale

Current demand for SARS-CoV-2 testing is straining material resource and labor capacity around the globe. As a result, the public health and clinical community are hindered in their ability to monitor and contain the spread of COVID-19. Despite broad consensus that more testing is needed, pragmatic guidance toward realizing this objective has been limited. This paper addresses this limitation by proposing a novel and geographically agnostic framework (the 4Ps framework) to guide multidisciplinary, scalable, resource-efficient, and achievable efforts toward enhanced testing capacity. The 4Ps (Prioritize, Propagate, Partition, and Provide) are described in terms of specific opportunities to enhance the volume, diversity, characterization, and implementation of SARS-CoV-2 testing to benefit public health. Coordinated deployment of the strategic and tactical recommendations described in this framework has the potential to rapidly expand available testing capacity, improve public health decision-making in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and/or to be applied in future emergent disease outbreaks.

Building Capacity for Logic Models and Evaluation Planning Using Canoe-building Concepts

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death in the United States Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs); US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds programs for prevention and control of diabetes, tobacco use, and related chronic disease conditions. To build USAPI programs' capacity in evaluation and surveillance, we held in-person and virtual trainings on evaluation planning and logic models that were tailored with traditional canoe-building themes to be relatable and memorable. Evaluation results suggest the efforts were effective at translating concepts. Additional tools and technical assistance reinforced concepts and resulted in quality evaluation plans. Culturally tailored evaluation tools can be useful and should be developed with population representatives.

Defining and Implementing Value-Based Health Care: A Strategic Framework

Value in health care is the measured improvement in a person's health outcomes for the cost of achieving that improvement. While some descriptions conflate value-based health care and cost reduction, quality improvement, or patient satisfaction, those efforts-while important-are not the same as value, which focuses primarily on improving patient health outcomes. A decade of research into organizations that have achieved better outcomes while often lowering costs suggests a strategic framework for value-based health care implementation that starts with identifying and understanding a segment of patients whose health and related circumstances create a consistent set of needs. An interdisciplinary team of caregivers then comes together to design and deliver comprehensive solutions to address those needs. The team measures the health outcomes and costs of its care for each patient and uses that information to drive ongoing improvements. Care provided in this way aligns delivery with how patients experience their health and reconnects clinicians to their purpose as healers. It also asks physicians to think differently about their role within the larger care team and about the services that team provides. The authors suggest medical schools should incorporate education on the principles and implementation of value-based health care throughout the undergraduate medical curriculum to prepare their graduates to lead the transformation to value-based health care as they enter the physician workforce.

New Technologies, New Challenges for Human Rights? The Work of the Council of Europe

Convergence of emerging technologies (e.g. biotechnologies, information and cognitive technologies) has opened new perspectives for progress with regard to human health. However, these technologies also open new possibilities for interventions on human beings, which may be more invasive, and possibly affect and modify individuals. Established practices in the field of biomedicine are also evolving in a way that exerts pressure on existing protective mechanisms. Thus, consideration is required as to whether existing human rights provisions are still fit for purpose or whether there is a need to re-examine, clarify or re-enforce them or even a need to identify new human rights and protective measures. This article gives an overview of the main issues considered by the Committee on Bioethics of the Council of Europe to develop a Strategic Action Plan aimed at ensuring appropriate protection of human rights in the developments in biomedicine, promoting thereby progress for human health.

Evaluation of technological competence and operations efficiency in the defense industry: The strategic planning of South Korea

This research aims to contribute to efficiency improvement by providing the implications for decision-making on continuous defense R&D investment strategies and acquisition methods via analyzing the current position and measuring the efficiency of overall weapon systems on technological competence and operations. This research is distinctive in comparison to previous studies because it is structured in a two-stage DEA analysis for efficiency by distinguishing between the technology and operations of the current eight fields of weapon systems and by adding the external index for government competence and market competence. In 2016, in comparison to the year 2013, the eight major weapon systems' efficiency fields of the overall system of Korea, efficiency of technological competence, and efficiency of operations all increased. This research introduced the input and output variable that fits in with the defense industry by connecting the weapon systems efficiency with the national innovation system and the sectoral innovation system that are both projected in this industry. It also formed the concepts of technological competence efficiency and operations efficiency using the two-stage Network DEA method.