How well is Iowa’s public health system working, and where can improvements be made? Sixty people who represent agencies within the Midwest’s public health system met on April 8 at the Hygienic Laboratory to consider this.

Through a program called the Laboratory System Improvement Program (L-SIP), participants were led through steps to evaluate operational issues in public health. Once the issues were identified, attendees discussed possible solutions.

Representatives from Iowa’s public health system and Hygienic Laboratory staff hold green cards to give the state’s laboratory system an “Optimal” rating during a Laboratory Response Improvement Program.

L-SIP was developed by the Association of Public Health Laboratories in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and has been conducted in more than 30 states. The purpose is to determine how the Public Health Laboratory System works to meet the 10 essential services. (See graphic.)

Director of the Office of Organizational Development Lorelei Kurimski and CDC Public Health Associate Rachel Greenberg (on assignment with the Hygienic Lab) organized and led the conference.

“After spending the past few weeks planning the event, it was amazing to witness a core group of passionate partners of the public health laboratory system fully engaged to assess the system and initiate ideas for improvement,” said Greenberg.

Common themes that emerged from the discussions were the need for increased communications and collaborations, improved availability of data, and development of an assessment, evaluation and feedback process. These issues will be used to create and implement a strategic plan that identifies ways to improve the system while making it more efficient and effective.

“The results of the assessment give a good understanding of the system’s strengths and gaps and the foundation to develop a plan to assure the health and well-being of all Iowans,” said Greenberg.