CORRECTIONS HEALTH SERVICES MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
The Challenge:
Years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that all inmates are entitled to health care that is equal to the standard of the community. Health outcomes and status assessments demonstrate that there are significant quality of care variations among corrections systems and that many fail to meet community standards. Inadequate health and medical care of inmates has profound impacts upon the quality of life of individuals, families and the communities they reenter.
We recognized that in many cases the lack of appropriate management is a barrier to improving the health status of the inmate population. We know a lot about the development of professionalism in health services management and resolved to foment change.
The “system” includes thousands of jails and prisons, owned and operated by every level of government or by for-profit companies. In everyone, someone is responsible for health services, which are either provided in-house or purchased from private or public providers. Health manager’s qualifications vary from high-trained clinicians to promoted guards.
The Product:
We became the advocate for qualified health management in every system. First, we clarified the extent of the problem and the opportunity for improvement presented by accessing appropriate qualifications. We developed model job descriptions and promoted their endorsement and dissemination through the national organizations of counties, legislatures, governors, corrections professionals, sheriffs, jails and prisons. There were indications of successes.
Our capstone effort was to encourage universities to add correctional health tracks to public health programs, develop Masters in correctional health and support much needed research in the field. The evidence was that the seeds had been planted.
HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL STUDY
The Challenge:
The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) International Healthcare Management Education Initiative aims to improve health care administration education and
practice
in selected countries.
The Project:
The project reviewed health care management training in 16 countries and provided insights into the supply and demand for credentialed administrators. AHF leveraged its unique access to official sources to engage an expert panel to review and comment on the initial work; plan, suggest, and review survey instruments; comment on findings, and review the final report. AHF experts also conducted literature reviews, surveys, and interviews.
The Team:
CAHME engaged AHF, the University of Scranton and the University of Central Florida to conduct the study and develop recommendations. It was supported by a grant from the ARAMARK Charitable Fund.
The Product:
The project produced a systematic review of the supply and demand for professionally trained leaders in health administration in 16 countries in the Latin American, European, and Asian regions. It provides the basis for an assessment of the potential for an international accreditation program to improve health administration education. The study provided AHF with unique knowledge of approaches to organizing health care education in a variety of national and educational settings.