Services

For nearly 15 years, the Center for Health Improvement has helped public and private organizations across the country effect lasting change in their efforts to prevent disease and promote health.

Applied Research & Analysis

• To help decision-makers develop strategies and set priorities, we perform formative research that informs new directions
• To evaluate program effectiveness, we coordinate quantitative and qualitative measurement through stakeholder surveys, focus groups, and interviews
• To assess consumer perspectives on health and response to health care services, we conduct large-scale public-opinion surveys
  


• Pharmacist-Patient Consultation: CHI conducted surveys and focus groups of patients and pharmacists to assess compliance with new regulation requiring consultation for new and changed prescriptions.
• Health Improvement Initiative: CHI conducted seven statewide surveys to assess the perceptions of Californians about the state of health care.

For information about CHI's Applied Research & Analysis services, contact Karen Shore, PhD.

Program Support & Technical Assistance

• To help organizations develop, improve, and sustain their community programs, we provide consulting, training, and facilitation services
• To translate and apply research and facilitate peer-to-peer exchange in targeted communities, we build and maintain vibrant learning networks
• To help organizations achieve quality, efficiency, and effectiveness in their health promotion and disease prevention interventions, we plan, implement, and evaluate programs
  


• Aligning Forces for Quality: Supporting the national Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program, CHI provided technical assistance in consumer engagement and performance measurement and public reporting to help multistakeholder collaboratives in different areas of the country achieve sustainable improvements in health care quality and value.
• Learning Network for Chartered Value Exchanges: CHI helped the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality launch the national Learning Network for Chartered Value Exchanges, which involved 24 collaboratives working in eight areas to improve quality of care: 1) collaborative leadership & sustainability; 2) public at-large engagement; 3) quality & efficiency measurement; 4) public reporting; 5) provider incentives; 6) consumer incentives; 7) capacity for improving quality; and 8) health information technology/health information exchange.
• Worksite Wellness: CHI developed and implemented a program to encourage healthy behaviors among employees at the California Department of Health Care Services that was so successful it was institutionalized by the state agency.
• First 5: For all 58 California counties, CHI's technical assistance included community-level facilitation, regional and statewide workshops, distance learning, online resources, strategic planning, and direct mentoring.

For information about CHI's Program Support & Technical Assistance services, contact Peter Reed. PhD, MPH.

Policy Analysis & Advocacy Training

• To educate policy-makers and policy-shapers, and encourage dialogue about policies that could lead to better health, we analyze scientific research and examine innovative community practices
• To examine important health issues and promote evidence-based solutions, we facilitate statewide and regional collaboratives and forums
• To effect policy change and encourage sensible regulations that influence community health, we work to empower community and state-level advocates
  


• California Health Policy Forum: Funded by the state's three largest health care foundations, the Forum provides an independent platform for education, idea sharing, and conversations among legislative and executive branch health policy staff about the complex and vast array of health issues facing the state today. The Forum seeks to inform the public policy-making process through briefing sessions that feature experts from California, other states, and the nation.
• HCV Strategy Group: With funding from The California Endowment, CHI adapted the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's clinical collaborative methodology to help nine California counties address local policy change for hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevention and care improvement in community settings.
• Customized Training: CHI develops one- to three-day training programs tailored to specific needs of grantees, and government, nonprofit, and community-based organizations.

For information about CHI's Policy Analysis & Advocacy Training, contact Karen Shore, PhD.