The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released its report, "Priority Areas for Improvement of Quality in Public Health," at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association in Denver last month.  Cheryll Lesneski, DrPH, clinical professor in the Public Health Leadership Program at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, is one of a small group of contributors to the landmark document, which was written by DHHS' Peggy Honoré, director of the Public Health Systems, Finance and Quality Program, and Wakina Scott, public health system researcher, both of the Office of Healthcare Quality and Office of Minority Health.

The report identifies six priority areas for improvement of quality in public health.  "We need revitalized efforts to move toward a healthier nation," writes U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, in his preface to the report.  "The advent of the Affordable Care Act serves as a catalyst for such change by promoting quality, access to care, and community and clinical prevention."

Lesneski called the report "a major initiative on the part of our federal government, a call to action to improve the quality of public health services at all levels of the public health system."  

The report is available on the DHHS website.


UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: Ramona DuBose, director of communications, (919) 966-7467 or ramona_dubose@unc.edu.