Environmental Health Continuous
Improvement Board
September 9, 2015 Meeting Take-Home Points and Action Items
Take-Home Points
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The Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) and staff from the
Partnership and Workforce Development Unit of the Food, Pools and Lodging Services
(FPLS) section at MDH continued to follow a structured quality improvement approach
to improve the FPLS program evaluation process. The Board identified a number of
possible solutions to help improve the process (a full list of these solutions is attached).
Some of the changes identified can be implemented quickly to improve the current FPLS
program evaluation process.
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In addition to identifying changes to the existing FPLS program evaluation process, the
Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) identified and discussed
changing the evaluation model in a way that is more transformational.
o Instead of evaluating each program, in its entirety, one at a time, over the
course of five years, the Board considered evaluating one standard for all
programs at the same time. In this standard by standard model each program
would be evaluated over the course of five years rather than once in five years.
The benefits of this model could include increased learning across programs; the
ability to identify and implement continuous improvements; greater consistency
in evaluation findings and resulting actions; and a more even, manageable
workload for MDH’s Partnership and Workforce Development unit.
o The Board would like to know if a change in the evaluation model from
program-by-program to standard-by-standard resonates with constituents.
Board members will be asking for feedback in preparation for their November
meeting.
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The Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) will be presenting a
concurrent session at the 2015 Community Health Conference. The session will be
interactive and focus on the role of environmental public health and the history of the
Board and its work to date. The Board would also like to use this time to hear about
items they should consider for their 2016 work plan.
Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Practice Section – Health Partnerships Division
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
(651) 201-3880
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The Environmental health Continuous Improvement Board (Board) is looking ahead to
next year. To date the Board has focused on Food, Pools, and Lodging Services (FPLS)
and has completed, or is in the process of completing, a number of its 2015 goals
including: 1) determining a FPLS program re-evaluation process, 2) improving the FPLS
program evaluation process, and 3) issuing a statement of support for Minnesota’s
State-local environmental health partnership. In 2016, the Board plans to continue its
work on FPLS and begin to focus on environmental public health in a broader context.
Action Items
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MDH EH staff will develop a draft of a possible new Food, Pools, and Lodging Services
(FPLS) program evaluation model, including how program status (acceptable,
conditional, etc.) will be determined, by the next EHCIB meeting in November.
EHCIB members will share a summary of the idea for a new FPLS program evaluation
model with constituents and gather feedback.
EHCIB members, MDH EH staff, and Health Partnerships Division staff will develop a plan
for pilot-testing the possible new FPLS program evaluation model.
EHCIB members, MDH EH staff, and MDA staff will develop an action plan for
implementing some possible solutions to improve the current FPLS program evaluation
process and for how to develop program evaluation standards and measures.
MDH EH staff and Health Partnerships Division staff will develop a draft map/inventory
of existing environmental health committees, networking groups, forums, etc. for the
Board to review at a future meeting.
Health Partnerships Division staff will update the EHCIB’s workplan online.
Health Partnerships Division staff will connect with the Local Public Health Association
about the recruitment of new EHCIB members.
Upcoming Meetings
 November 16, 2015
Environmental Health Continuous Improvement Board
Minnesota Department of Health
Public Health Practice Section – Health Partnerships Division
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
(651) 201-3880