Accreditation Status Research Articles

PERFORMANCE OF TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES OF REGION IV-B: BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE ACCREDITATION PLAN

Generally, this study delved on the performance of Teacher Education Institutions in state universities and colleges of Region IV-B in relation to their Level II accreditation status. The levels of performance of Teacher Education Institutions were seen in terms of the following indicators: 1) faculty with specific provisions in teaching performance and professional development; 2) curriculum and instruction with specific provisions in board examination performance and admission-graduation ratio; 3) research outputs; and 4) extension services. Descriptive and documentary analysis types of research were adopted. Data extracted from the Agency Performance Rating (APR) instrument which is basically the measurement the tool for Normative Financing Scheme of DBM, the SUC Leveling instrument of CHED, the National Budget Circular (NBC) No. 461-Qualitative Common Evaluation (QCE) instrument, the Performance Evaluation System (PES) of the Civil Service Commission and the AACCUP Survey Instrument were used. As an offshoot of the study, a sustainable accreditation plan was proposed. The respondents of the study were the Teacher Education Institutions in the main campus of six state universities and colleges in Region IV-B offering Bachelor of Elementary Education and Bachelor of Secondary Education during the SY 2011-2012. Generally, the findings revealed that the level of performance as perceived by the SUC-TEIs under study and based from the ratings of AACCUP varies in different descriptions. Comparative analysis showed that board examination performance and admission-graduation ratio got statistically similar ratings from the two evaluation systems and that their assessments as far as academic performance is concerned are the same on the aforementioned areas. However, a significant difference was reflected on the areas of teaching performance, professional development and extension Services and highly significant difference on research as perceived by the SUC-TEIs and AACCUP. Documents supplemental to the data elucidated that the six TEIs of state universities and colleges in Region IV-B have common strengths and limitations in the four major (4) areas of accreditation. Conclusions were drawn out of the findings and strengthened the concept that despite gaining level II accreditation status, there were some areas that need considerable improvement in performing the academic functions of Teacher Education Institutions to achieve institutional effectiveness. An overview of the general result showed that several items have no significant difference between the perception made by SUC-TEIs respondents under study and the accreditation ratings by AACCUP concluding, therefore, that the two groups of organization had almost the same analysis as to the effectiveness of academic performance of these six TEIs. Common limitations were identified in almost all Teacher Education Institutions. For these reasons, it was recommended that faculty members of each college/dept should sustain a strong academic focus and further strengthen capabilities in research and extension. Re-evaluation of the areas with low performance was also suggested for possible interventions that can be resulted to an effective and efficient delivery of services to stakeholders. Other areas that did not contribute significant effects to the performance of the College/Department of Education should be given emphasis and attention by the school administration in preparation for the next higher level of accreditation. Finally, adoption of the proposed sustainable accreditation plan for the University/College and replication of this study among other SUCs located in other regions or maybe used by other programs are advocated.

Determinants of Satisfaction of Inpatients in Hospitals

Patient satisfaction can have an impact on the development of the health system, increasing the fulfillment of service needs, continuity of service, and will ultimately provide better health outcomes. Patient satisfaction investigation is a method of assessing the quality of care from the patient's perspective. This study aims to determine the determinants of patient satisfaction in hospital.This research is a literature review research. The research subjects were hospitalized patients. The databases used are: Google scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. The keywords used included: age OR gender OR education OR profession OR residence OR insurance OR “type hospital” OR “quality of care” OR “length of stay” OR “facilities hospital” OR “hospital environment” AND “patient satisfaction” OR “inpatient satisfaction” AND “observational design”. The research used is from 2016 to 2021. Data analysis uses PRISMA flow diagrams. Results: The number of articles is 10 journals, the journals reached are national and international journals. The international journals covered are China (2 journals), Kazakhstan, Ethiopia (2 journals), and America, while the locations of journals conducted in Indonesia include Surakarta (2 journals), Papua, and Yogyakarta. There are 22 variables examined with 14 variables related positively and significantly. These variables are age, gender, education, occupation, quality of health services, doctor's work period, insurance ownership, urban location, length of stay, hospital accreditation status, perception of facilities, number of annual operations, nurse/bed ratio.determinants of inpatient satisfaction in hospitals, namely age, gender, education, occupation, quality of health services, doctor's work period, insurance ownership, urban location, length of stay, hospital accreditation status, perception of facilities, number of annual operations, nurse ratio /bed.

Assessment of clinical trial protocols for pathology content using the SPIRIT-Path guidelines highlights areas for improvement.

The SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) 2013 Statement provides evidence‐based recommendations for the minimum content of clinical trial protocols. The Cellular Molecular Pathology Initiative, hosted by the UK National Cancer Research Institute, developed an extension, SPIRIT‐Path, describing how to effectively incorporate pathology support into clinical trial protocols. The current study assessed the inclusion of SPIRIT‐Path items in protocols of active clinical trials. Publicly available clinical trial protocols were identified for assessment against the new guidelines using a single UK hospital as the ‘test site’. One hundred and ninety interventional clinical trials were identified as receiving support from the pathology department. However, only 38 had publicly available full trial protocols (20%) and following application of the inclusion/exclusion criteria, 19 were assessed against the SPIRIT‐Path guidelines. The reviewed clinical trial protocols showed some areas of compliance and highlighted other items that were inadequately described. The latter lacked information about the individuals responsible for the pathology content of the trial protocol, how pathology activities and roles were organised in the trial, where the laboratory work would be carried out, and the accreditation status of the laboratory. Only one trial had information specific to digital pathology, a technology certain to become more prevalent in the future. Adoption of the SPIRIT‐Path checklist will facilitate comprehensive trial protocols that address all the key cellular and molecular pathology aspects of interventional clinical trials. This study highlights once again the lack of public availability of trial protocols. Full trial protocols should be available for scrutiny by the scientific community and the public who participate in the studies, increasing the transparency of clinical trial activity and improving quality.

Penerapan Model PAKEM Pada Kursus Bimbingan Belajar Berbasis Tematik Gratis di SDN 175795 Lobutangga

The goal of implementing this community service program (PkM) is to use an active, creative, effective, and enjoyable learning model (PAKEM) in thematic-based learning. Based on first observations made on January 29, 2022 utilizing the direct review and interview approach (to the principal), the school still has a state C accreditation status using the 2013 curriculum. At the school, there are some students who cannot write, read, or count (Calistung), and there are also some students who can only count, and because of the Covid-19 pandemic situation, the school has implemented online school learning to avoid the spread of the Covid 19 Virus, but students do not have communication tools that support online learning, and students' learning time is reduced due to their inability to purchase data packages. The goal of conducting this PkM activity is to reach around 80 persons, with pupils from SD N 175795 Lobutangga being prioritized. The implementation period lasts one month, during which time free tutoring for all courses is provided. Following the installation of PkM, around 75% of pupils who could not read or spell previously began to read and spell better than before. Students are more eager to learn since the manner we utilize captures their interest. Students are more likely to accept learning at school if it has already been taught during tutoring, and teachers are more likely to teach some topic if it has previously been taught during tutoring

An audit of performance nutrition services in English soccer academies: implications for optimising player development

ABSTRACT To audit the current provision of performance nutrition services provided to male adolescent players within academies from the English soccer leagues. Practitioners from all 89 academies (status categorised as one-four according to the Elite Player Performance Plan, EPPP) completed an online survey to audit: a) job role/professional accreditation status of persons delivering nutrition support, b) activities inherent to service provision, c) topics of education, d) on-site food, fluid and supplement provision and e) nutritional related data collected for objective monitoring. More full-time accredited nutritionists are employed within category one (14/26) versus category two (0/18), three (1/41) and four (0/4). Respondents from category one clubs report more hours of monthly service delivery (62 ± 57 h) than category two (12 ± 9 h), three (14 ± 26 h) and four (12 ± 14 h), inclusive of one-to-one player support and stakeholder education programmes. Category one practitioners reported a greater prevalence of on-site food, fluid and supplement provision on training and match days. Across all categories, players from the professional development phase receive more frequent support than players from the youth development phase, despite the latter corresponding to the most rapid phase of growth and maturation. We report distinct differences in the extent of service provision provided between categories. Additionally, players from all categories receive nutrition support from non-specialist staff. Data demonstrate that performance nutrition appears an under-resourced component of academy sport science and medicine programmes in England, despite being an integral component of player development.

Analisis Peta Mutu Pendidikan SMA Kabupaten Lombok Tengah Tahun 2020

The purpose of this study is to produce a portrait of the educational quality of Central Lombok High School in 2020 through the process of data collection, environmental analysis, as well as recommendations and quality improvement strategies referring to the results of mapping the quality of education in order to be an inspiration for education units and local governments in implementing SPMP. properly and sustainably. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. This research data collection includes 2020 quality report cards sourced from Dapodik (dapodikdasmen.kemdikbud.go.id) and data sourced from PMP (pmp.dikdasmen.kemdikbud.go.id). Based on the results of the analysis of the high school education quality map, it was concluded that none of the senior high schools "Towards SNP 5" or obtained the SNP criteria even though the accreditation status was A, and "Towards SNP 4", with B accreditation as many as eleven schools, "Towards SNP 4" with three schools have C accreditation status, "Towards SNP 2" with C accreditation status of two schools, "Towards SNP 1" with C accreditation status as many as one school. Based on an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each indicator to the sub-indicators of each standard, a portrait of the achievement of the SNP is obtained that needs to be recommended to education stakeholders, including quality improvement strategies that can be carried out to improve the performance of education units.

QUALITY ASSURANCE: STUDI KASUS DI UNIVERSITAS PASIFIK MOROTAI MALUKU UTARA

This study aims to evaluate the implementation of internal quality assurance at Pacific Morotai University and provide detailed findings regarding the constraints faced by the Pacific Morotai University Quality Assurance Institute (LPM), North Maluku. The approach used in this study is a qualitative approach with a case study method at the Pacific University of Morotai, North Maluku; Data was collected based on document search, observation, and interviews. The results of the study show that the implementation of internal quality assurance at Pacific Morotai University faces the problem of a lack of auditors who have an understanding and a number of human resources in carrying out monitoring and evaluation tasks. The technical implementing unit formed by LPM in carrying out its duties only consists of six people spread across six faculties with details of one person for each faculty. The impact is due to the lack of auditors who are experts in quality assurance, so that it has an impact on quality assurance or external accreditation. In fact, the university does not yet have institutional accreditation status and eleven study programs have the same accreditation rating, namely C. Thus, the implementation of quality assurance is not carried out optimally and properly monitored, making it difficult to measure university quality achievements in setting higher education standards.

Characterization of doctor of pharmacy/health informatics dual degrees in the United States

IntroductionHealth care is trending towards an increasing reliance on data management, technology, analytics, and automation which is also reflected in pharmacy education. This study aimed to identify and characterize doctor of pharmacy (PharmD)/master of science in health informatics (MSHI) dual-degree offerings at pharmacy institutions within the United States (US). MethodsA list of PharmD/MSHI programs was obtained from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the Pharmacy College Application Service. Furthermore, websites of the 143 accredited schools and colleges of pharmacy in the US were inspected to identify additional PharmD/MSHI dual degrees not identified with the previous sources and to verify that the dual degree was being actively offered at each institution. A 26-item questionnaire focusing on program structure, admissions, and output was developed and administered to program representatives via phone interview. Descriptive statistics were calculated. ResultsThirteen schools offering a PharmD/MSHI dual degree were identified, of which 10 participated (response rate = 77%). All programs were created within the last 10 years. Programs were similar in terms of admission requirements such as grade point average thresholds and standardized testing. Variances existed in program structure and output, such as accreditation status and number of enrollees/graduates. ConclusionsAlthough health informatics has become more prominent in health care, health informatics education is not yet as pervasive in the pharmacy field. The information collected may be useful for schools considering implementing or modifying their own dual degree program or for students who are interested in health informatics-specialized educational opportunities.

ANALISIS FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI KEPUTUSAN MAHASISWA DALAM MEMILIH KULIAH DI UNIVERSITAS TEKNOLOGI MATARAM (UTM)

This study aims to analyze the factors that influence student decisions in choosing lectures at the Mataram University of Technology (UTM). This research was conducted during September to March, namely on first semester students of the odd semester class of 2021/2022 at the Mataram University of Technology. This study is a causal associative research which means that the dependent variable is influenced by the independent variable, data collection is carried out using an instrument/questionnaire for 36 new students using the sampling method using Non-Probability Sampling. Analysis of the data used is multiple linear regression analysis and hypothesis testing using the Statistical Product and Solution (SPSS) for Windows program.The results also show that 1) Study Program variables, Accreditation Status, Tuition Fees, Promotion, Lecturer Quality, Campus Facilities, Campus Locations, Lecturer Quantity, Physical Evidence, Alumni, Image, Family and Reference Groups have a significant influence as factors that influence consumers choose to study at UTM, 2) Study Program Variable Factors have the most dominant influence on students choosing to study at UTM.

INDEKS KEPUASAN MASYARAKAT TERHADAP PELAYANAN PUSKESMAS DI KOTA MATARAM

Community Satisfaction Index (CSI) of Community Health Center is an indicator for community to assess services quality and services performance of Community Health Center. The study which is refered to “Permenpan dan RB Nomor 14 Tahun 2017” carried out in 2021 at all Community Health Center in Mataram City. The aim of study is to analysis CSI value, quality services and services performance and correlation between CSI and accreditation status of Community Health Services. The study method used is descriptive with quantitative approach. The result of the study indicated that average value CSI of Community Health Services in Mataram City amount of 77.23 with “B” quality services and “Good” services performance. There is no correlation between CSI and accreditation status of Community Health Services.

Stroke thrombectomy volume, rather than stroke center accreditation status of hospitals, is associated with mortality and discharge disposition

BackgroundFew studies have explored the association between stroke thrombectomy (ST) volume and hospital accreditation with clinical outcomes.ObjectiveTo assess the association of ST case volume and accreditation status with in-hospital mortality...

Appropriateness of the international accreditation frameworks of engineering education to the academic engineering programs in Saudi Arabia: A comparative study

This paper focuses on the globalization of engineering education which has become a major preoccupation of engineering departments everywhere. There is a lack of literature on the global recognition requirements of Saudi engineering education. Most of the papers published in the field of accreditation of Saudi engineering education focused on reporting the individual experiences of some engineering programs or on identifying the challenges facing these programs when seeking national or international accreditation. This paper examines and explores the main milestones in the path towards the global recognition of engineering education in Saudi Arabia. The only way such recognition can be achieved, however, is through membership in a handful of accreditation frameworks such as the Washington Accord (WA) and the European Accredited Engineer (EUR-ACE). The purpose of this paper is threefold: 1) to take stock of the accreditation status of engineering program in Saudi Arabia, 2) to compare the requirements, rules, and procedures of WA and EUR-ACE to determine which organization best serves the Saudi engineering programs’ desire to achieve international recognition, and finally 3) make some recommendations on actions the national accreditation agencies could take to become members of WA. Even though this paper focuses on engineering education in Saudi Arabia, it applies equally to other countries looking to meet the highest quality standards in engineering education and seeking to ensure the international mobility of their graduates.

ANALISIS FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI PENGAMBILAN KEPUTUSAN MAHASISWA MEMILIH PROGRAM STUDI MANAJEMEN S-1 FAKULTAS EKONOMI UNIKA SANTO THOMAS MEDAN T.A 2020/2021, DALAM KONDISI PANDEMI COVID 19 IMPLIKASINYA PADA PERUMUSAN STRATEGI PROMOSI

The purpose of this study is to analyze the dominant factors influencing student decision making in choosing the S-1 Management Study Program. With this aim, it is possible to identify what factors dominantly influence student decision making in choosing the Management Study Program at the Faculty of Economics, Unika Santo Thomas, Medan T.A. 2020/2021 in the Covid-19 Pandemic, its implications for the formulation of promotional strategies. The research method used a sample of 125 students, collecting data with questionnaires and documentation and factor analysis techniques.
 The results of the study, of the 25 factors studied in student decision making to choose the Management study program, it turns out that the most dominant are: Factor 1: Accreditation status, Friends, Teachers, Family, Image / image and campus visits, Factor 2: Ease of work, Success Alumni and Promotional Brochures, Factor 3: Scholarships, Environmental Conditions, Complete Facilities and Building Conditions, Factor 4: Curriculum, Affordable Basic Tuition and Ease of Payment, Factor 5: Family, Education Personnel, Libraries and Lecturers, Factor 6: Alumni Association strong , Webinar Seminar, and Positive Issues and Factor 7: Affordable Cost Per-Credit and Parents' Income.
 The results of this study are expected to provide a reference as material for consideration in formulating relevant promotions, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic situation for the sake of increasing the number of students in the future. For further research, it is better to add variables that will be used as research variables that are thought to influence students in choosing the Management Study Program.

Technical efficiency in Chile’s higher education system: A comparison of rankings and accreditation

Improving the productivity of higher education in every nation's economy is one of the main challenges faced in the current environment of competition and shrinking public funds. The effective use of resources is a crucial issue in Chile's higher education reform. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) has been widely applied to measure efficiency in universities, sometimes focused on teaching or research. Universities function as a complex production process in which teaching and research are linked in the internal structure, share some inputs, and continue across multiple periods. To deal with this complexity, we developed a new DEA model that incorporates network structures, carryover activities, and shared inputs in a dynamic approach. We applied this model to a set of 33 Chilean universities and compared the results to their rankings and accreditation status. Our proposed DEA model has advantages: (a) there are no subjective criteria, and (b) the model considers the internal structure of the university production model, as well as the inputs and outputs over time. The objectivity of the model allows us to evaluate overall efficiency in terms of the quantity and quality of teaching and research, removing exogenous criteria and judgments regarding the performance of higher education institutions. This new quantitative approach could generate disaggregated data to analyze efficiency improvement over time or serve as a benchmarking tool according to the universities' characteristics.

Impact of accreditation on health care services performance in Kiryandongo district, Uganda: a longitudinal study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the need for quality laboratory services worldwide. There is renewed focus to strengthen country capacities and laboratories to effectively respond to public health emergencies and patient outcomes. Uganda launched the accreditation program for public health facilities in 2016 with sixteen laboratories. As of June 2021, twenty-three public laboratories have attained ISO 15189:2012 accreditation status. Despite the tremendous achievements of accrediting laboratories in Uganda, laboratory services still face challenges like stock out of commodities and limited testing scopes. We conducted this study to evaluate the impact of accreditation on health care services performance in Kiryandongo district, Uganda.MethodsWe conducted a longitudinal study from January 1, 2020- April 30, 2021 at ten health facilities in Kiryandongo district. We collected health care services performance data from the MoH dhis-2 on selected indicators for HIV, TB, Malaria, Laboratory, Maternal & child health and dhis-2 reporting. We used Generalized Estimating Equations to estimate the impact of accreditation on health care services performance at the different health facilities.ResultsThe odds at the accredited facility in comparison to the non-accredited public facilities were; 14% higher for ART enrolment (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.25), 9% lower for determine testing kits stock out (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.85–0.97), 28% higher for TB case diagnosis (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.10–1.49), 19% higher for TB case enrolment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.04–1.36), 104% higher for maternity admissions (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.60–2.59), 63% higher for maternity deliveries (OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.39–1.90) and 17% higher for reporting hmis 10:01 data to dhis-2 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.04–1.31).The odds at the accredited facility in comparison to the non-accredited PNFP facilities were; 26% higher for ART enrolment (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.17–1.36), 33% higher for TB case diagnosis (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.15–1.55), 24% higher for TB case enrolment (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.42), 136% higher for maternity admissions (OR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.89–2.94), 76% higher for maternity deliveries (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.51–2.04) and 2% higher for reporting of hmis-10:01 data to dhis-2 (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01–1.03).ConclusionsHIV, TB, laboratory, MCH, and reporting to dhis-2 selected indicators were positively impacted by accreditation. This impact translated into increased health care services performance at the accredited facility as compared to the non-accredited facilities.

ASO Visual Abstract: The Impact of Commission on Cancer Accreditation Status, Hospital Rurality, and Hospital Size on Quality Measure Performance Rates

ASO Visual Abstract: The Impact of Commission on Cancer Accreditation Status, Hospital Rurality, and Hospital Size on Quality Measure Performance Rates

The Impact of Commission on Cancer Accreditation Status, Hospital Rurality and Hospital Size on Quality Measure Performance Rates.

Rural cancer patients receive lower-quality care and experience worse outcomes than urban patients. Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation requires hospitals to monitor performance on evidence-based quality measuresPlease confirm the list of authors is correc, but the impact of accreditation is not clear due to lack of data from non-accredited facilities and confounding between patient rurality and hospital accreditation, rurality, and size. This retrospective, observational study assessed associations between rurality, accreditation, size, and performance rates for four CoC quality measures (breast radiation, breast chemotherapy, colon chemotherapy, colon nodal yield). Iowa Cancer Registry data were queried to identify all eligible patients diagnosed between 2011 and 2017. Cases were assigned to the surgery hospital to calculate performance rates. Univariate and multivariate regression models were fitted to identify patient- and hospital-level predictors and assess trends. The study cohort included 10,381 patients; 46% were rural. Compared with urban patients, rural patients more often received treatment at small, rural, and non-accredited facilities (p<0.001 for all). Rural hospitals had fewer beds and were far less likely to be CoC-accredited than urban hospitals (p<0.001 for all). On multivariate analysis, CoC accreditation was the strongest, independent predictor of higher hospital performance for all quality measures evaluated (p<0.05 in each model). Performance rates significantly improved over time only for the colon nodal yield quality measure, and only in urban hospitals. CoC accreditation requires monitoring and evaluating performance on quality measures, which likely contributes to better performance on these measures. Efforts to support rural hospital accreditation may improve existing disparities in rural cancer treatment and outcomes.

Making the grade: licensing examination performance by medical school accreditation status

BackgroundAccreditation systems strive to ensure the quality of undergraduate (basic) medical education and encourage ongoing improvements. Despite increasing global emphasis on quality assurance activities, there is limited research linking accreditation of medical education to improved student and graduate outcomes. The purpose of this study is to compare the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) performance of students and graduates who attended international medical schools accredited by an agency recognized by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) to individuals who attended schools that did not meet this criterion.MethodsDuring the 2018-2020 study period, 39,650 individuals seeking Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates® (ECFMG®) certification took one or more USMLE examinations. We cross-tabulated USMLE performance (first-attempt pass/fail result) and medical school accreditation status.ResultsIndividuals seeking ECFMG certification who attended international medical schools accredited by an agency recognized by WFME had higher or comparable USMLE first-attempt pass rates compared to individuals who attended medical schools that did not meet this criterion.ConclusionsImplementing and maintaining meaningful accreditation systems requires substantial resources. These results provide important positive evidence that external evaluation of educational programs is associated, on average, with better educational outcomes, including in the domains of basic science, clinical knowledge, and clinical skills performance.

Does Accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Correlate with Animal Welfare Act Compliance?

ABSTRACT The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) promotes itself as the “gold standard” for animal welfare in zoos and aquariums; however, no objective evaluation of this claim has been performed. As the only statute providing protection to individual animals in the United States, the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) also seeks to assure animal welfare at facilities exhibiting animals to the public. In this study, the incidences of AWA noncompliant items (NCIs) at AZA-accredited facilities were evaluated and compared to non-accredited facilities licensed as exhibitors by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Based on our analysis, non-accredited exhibitors had significantly more total NCIs than AZA-accredited facilities, and non-accredited facilities also had more NCIs related to improper veterinary care, animal husbandry, and record-keeping, but not with respect to personnel qualifications. Additionally, accreditation status and number of regulated species were significant predictors of the number of NCIs. This study revealed that AZA accreditation is correlated with improved compliance with the AWA and perhaps enhanced animal welfare.

Results From a National Mixed-Methods Study Exploring Community Health Improvement Implementation: An Opportunity to Strengthen Public Health Systems Through Collective Action.

There are multiple calls for public health agency role and workforce transformation to increase capacity to orchestrate cross-sectoral partnerships that set and implement strategies addressing the structural and social determinants of health. Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP) may be one tool for collective action to improve population health and equity. However, little is known about the Action Cycle in MAPP and implementation of resulting community health improvement plans. To explore the characteristics of MAPP users who completed the MAPP Action Cycle and factors that facilitated or inhibited implementation activities during this phase. We used a sequential participatory mixed-methods design involving 2 phases of data collection. The first data collection phase included a Web-based survey using Qualtrics. The second data collection phase included qualitative key-informant interviews and focus groups. A national public health and health care advisory group informed the evaluation throughout the entire process to ground the process in practice and experience. This study showed that some MAPP participants do not conduct implementation activities as defined by the MAPP Action Cycle and of those who do, implementation activity varies by participant experiences conducting MAPP and accreditation status. The MAPP users who completed 3 or more rounds of MAPP were more likely to align and integrate MAPP within their agencies as well as organize a collaborative implementation process with partners. More resources and skills in planning that facilitate long-range partnerships were noted as key to implementation. Opportunity remains to improve implementation in MAPP. National leaders should explore and build capacity and infrastructure within public health agencies and with their partners to create a system of readiness and an infrastructure that support implementation over time.