News Items

1. Proposed Bush Budget http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/usbudget/blueprint/budtoc.html  (See item 1 below.)

2. State or local officials interested in working on Measuring Performance of State and Local Public Health Systems or the Evaluation of Information System Impact on Public Health (see item 2 below.)

3. New IOM Report on smoking (submitted by Kim Buttery ) http://www4.nas.edu/onpi/webextra.nsf/web/smoke?OpenDocument

4. This item on patient safety was submitted by Phillip C Gioia http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11718-2001Mar1.html

AAPHP News is sent to members whenever we receive several items of potential interest. Send information for this newsletter to the editor at vmdato@pitt.edu 

Feel free to forward this newsletter to physicians who may be interested in joining.. A membership application form can be found on our web page http://www.aaphp.org

Item 1 The Bush Budget appears to be a mixed bag. The CSTE Washington Report Http://www.cste.org by Marcia S. Mabee, MPH, PhD reports that the Community Access Program, and the HRSA Public Health Workforce Development program are in danger of elimination but that more flexibility may be given to states and local governments. ATPM news is focusing on the doubling of the NIH and increase in funds for community health centers. APHA reports that there are no increases in the funding of any of the federal public health programs. "The proposed 5.2% funding increase in the budget for DHHS is to go to Medicare for increased reimbursements to health care providers and for the President's prescription drug plan, and to NIH for expansion of its research budget.

Item 2 This item from Joel Nitzkin was originally sent through the AAPHPBD List server. I have edited slightly. Please respond directly to Joel - E-mail: jln@jln-md.com or jln-md@mindspring.com 

I have had the opportunity to review the list of topics that can be funded under the ASPH and ATPM cooperative agreements with CDC. After reviewing this list, I find two, as listed below, that are promising for letters of intent. I think it would be best to go the ATPM route, with AAPHP to be the applicant, and with two or more participating local or state public health agencies. The deadline for the letter is March16, a week from Friday.

IF I CAN GET STATEMENTS FROM TWO OR THREE MEMBERS THAT THEIR STATE OR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE WILLING TO COLLABORATE WITH US ON SUCH A PROJECT BY NOON, THIS THURSDAY (MARCH 8) -- I CAN THEN PLAY THE LEAD ROLE IN GETTING THE REST OF THE ACT TOGETHER IN TIME FOR THE MARCH 16 DEADLINE.

The promising topics are as listed below:

CIO: PHPPO

Title of Potential Extramural Research Topic (PERT): Measuring Performance of State and Local Public Health Systems

Brief description: There is interest in a collaborative research study that will strengthen the research and science base of performance standards and public health practice in state and local public health systems. Specific areas of interest include assuring validity and reliability of performance assessment instruments for state and local public health systems; determining factors associated with high performing public health systems; assessing the impact of leadership on performance; assessing relationship of performance and outcomes; assessing the relationship of capacity to deliver the essential public health services and the preparedness for public health emergencies; and identifying surveillance measures for public health infrastructure.

Total number of years anticipated (maximum 3 years): 3 years If possible, a general idea of funding level (by year): $250,000

CIO: PHPPO
Title of Potential Extramural Research Topic (PERT): Evaluation of Information System Impact on Public Health Brief (not to exceed one paragraph)

Description: The public health system is making major investments in improved information technology. Large-scale funding efforts designed to promote the development of information infrastructure (Health Alert Network), electronic disease reporting (National Electronic Disease Surveillance System), and immunization registries are already well underway. Additional investments are anticipated over the next few years. As these major systems are developed and deployed, there is a need to develop effective tools and techniques for understanding and evaluating their impact on public health practice. There is interest in a collaborative research project under this topic would be focused on identifying and validating methodologies for effective evaluation of public health information systems.

Total number of years anticipated (maximum 3 years): 3 years If possible, a general idea of funding level (by year): $250,000

Joel L. Nitzkin, MD, MPH, DPA, FACPM
JLN, MD Associates
Past President, AAPHP, and Principal Investigator on AAPHP proposed Infrastructure Project
4939 Chestnut Street
New Orleans, LA 70115-2941
Phone: (504) 899 7893 or (800)598-2561
Fax:(504 ) 899 7557 or (877) 349 9247
E-mail: jln@jln-md.com  or jln-md@mindspring.com
Web site: http://jln-md.com

 3 - March 6, 2001