Water Quality Improvement Action Plan

Water Quality Improvement Action Plan

Write a 5-7 page action plan for a quality improvement initiative, using the Centers for Disease Control’s WASH program as the basis for the plan to improve water quality and sanitation for a refugee camp.

Introduction
Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.

Action plans are used across all types of organizations as a means to provide an organized structure and a series of steps to ensure the success of a strategy or initiative.

Historically, the roles of public health (PH) and health administration (HA) have for the most part operated in separate silos, with public health focused on keeping people healthy (vaccines, lifestyles, safe living conditions, et cetera) and health administration focused on treating illnesses. As the health care system evolves, influenced by changing consumer expectations, shifting reimbursement plans, and the increasing use of technology, the term population health has emerged as the intersection between the two. The interprofessional collaborations within population health will expand over time as PH administrators and HA clinicians work side-by-side with focused efforts to prevent and treat illness efficiently and effectively for the populations they serve.

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

What techniques could improve the effectiveness of program performance measurement?
What role might pharmaceutical companies play in a quality improvement plan?
What technologies exist to make clean water accessible and affordable?
Preparation
Read about the CDC’s Global Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Program and related pertinent information linked in the Resources for this assessment. Search the Internet for examples of action plans.

Your task for this assessment is to use the WASH Program as the basis for determining the costs and benefits associated with establishing the program in a refugee camp. You will also research and propose ways to measure the benefits of program performance.

Assume the role in the scenario:

Scenario: You are a health administration consultant hired by a government ministry to develop a quality improvement action plan to improve water quality and sanitation for a refugee camp with a current population of 5,000. The current water and sanitation are not up to standards. Public health services are overwhelmed with medical issues. You must persuade local public health officials to undertake your quality improvement plan as their number one priority.

Instructions
Develop a 5–7-page Water Quality Improvement Action Plan for the refugee camp. You may use bullet points, phrases, charts, or tables as needed to relay information clearly and succinctly. Organize your action plan according to the following headings:

Executive Summary
Focus the reader on the issue at hand. Summarize in one sentence the most important point of each section of the plan.

Population Health
Summarize how the WASH program complements global water and sanitation standards and supports population health.

Articulate the global water and sanitation standards.
Scope
Analyze the scope of what is required for a camp to meet the standards for a population of 5,000.

Document any assumptions you make.
What are the immediate critical steps that need to be implemented?
What initiatives need to be taken to ensure the health of the population in the long term?
Costs
Assess the scope of costs (personnel, education, equipment, et cetera) associated with the WASH quality improvement action plan.

What are the emergency cost factors?
What are the long-term cost factors?
Funding
Evaluate potential funding sources (private, NGO, or government) that could support this quality improvement project. Explain your reasoning.

Which sources might provide funding for emergency measures? Be specific.
Which sources might be tapped for longer term support? Be specific.
What partnerships could be developed?
Performance Measures
Propose performance measures to assess the quality initiative performance.

Qualitative: Explain a way to qualitatively assess the program performance.
Why is this an effective way to assess performance?
Quantitative: Discuss a model that you would choose to quantitatively assess the program performance.
Why is this an effective way to assess performance?
Summary Call to Action
In this brief section, cite statistics to illustrate the human and economic costs associated with the current status of the issue. What are the costs of maintaining the status quo? What are the human and economic benefits of implementing the quality improvement plan?

Additional Requirements
Formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA standards for style and formatting.
Number of resources: Use a minimum of 7–10 resources.
Length: 5–7 double-spaced pages, not including the title and references pages.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12-point.
Portfolio Prompt: You are required to save this learning activity to your ePortfolio.

Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 1: Analyze international entities or health care issues to determine health system needs.
Summarize how the WASH program complements global water and sanitation standards and supports population health.
Analyze the scope of what is required for a camp to meet the standards for a population of 5,000.
Competency 2: Evaluate the costs and benefits associated with implementation of a quality improvement initiative.
Assess the scope of costs associated with establishing the WASH program.
Evaluate potential funding sources that could support this quality improvement project.
Competency 3: Apply key performance measures to address a specific health issue within an international community.
Propose performance measures to assess the quality performance initiative.
Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for professionals in health care administration.
Write clearly and concisely, with well-organized communication that is supported with relevant evidence.
Use current APA standards for style and formatting.

The resources provided here are suggested and provide helpful information about topics relevant to the assessment. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The MHA Program Library Guide can help direct your research.

This page has links to other fact sheets and initiatives related to water, sanitation and hygiene in the WASH program.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). CDC at work: Global water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/programs/
Nicole, W. (2015). The WASH approach: Fighting waterborne diseases in emergency situations. Environmental Health Perspectives, 123(1), A6–A15.

This document provides an update on accomplishments and future global targets for UNICEF.

World Health Organization and UNICEF. (2017). Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene: 2017 update and SDG baselines. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/JMP-2017-report-final-highlights.pdf?ua=1
This document discusses the background, rationale and management of the strategy.

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Water quality and health strategy 2013–2020 [PDF]. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/2013/water_quality_strategy.pdf
This is the website for the WASH Program.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). CDC at work: Global water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/programs/
Pamphlet discusses safe water as a health issue.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). CDC and the safe water system [PDF]. https://www.cdc.gov/safewater/PDF/SWS-Overview-factsheet508c.pdf
Holm, R., Wandschneider, P., Felsot, A., & Msilimba, G. (2016). Achieving the sustainable development goals: A case study of the complexity of water quality health risks in Malawi. Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition, 35(20), 1–9.
Ali, S. I., Ali, S. S., & Fesselet, J.-F. (2015). Effectiveness of emergency water treatment practices in refugee camps in South Sudan. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 93(8), 550.

Provides a step-by-step guide to cost-benefit-analysis with real-world examples.

Mind Tools. (2018). Cost-benefit analysis: Deciding, quantitatively, whether to go ahead. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_08.htm

This source addresses costs associated with the WASH program.

McGinnis, S. M., McKeon, T., Desai, R., Ejelonu, A., Laskowski, S., & Murphy, H. M. (2017). A systematic review: Costing and financing of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools [PDF]. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(4), 442. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5409642/pdf/ijerph-14-00442.pdf
Although this is an older document, it remains relevant to review for cost-related information.

World Health Organization. (2012). Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/75140/1/WHO_HSE_WSH_12.01_eng.pdf?ua=1

This source addresses costs associated with the WASH program.

McGinnis, S. M., McKeon, T., Desai, R., Ejelonu, A., Laskowski, S., & Murphy, H. M. (2017). A systematic review: Costing and financing of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools [PDF]. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(4), 442. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5409642/pdf/ijerph-14-00442.pdf
Although this is an older document, it remains relevant to review for cost-related information.

World Health Organization. (2012). Global costs and benefits of drinking-water supply and sanitation interventions to reach the MDG target and universal coverage. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/75140/1/WHO_HSE_WSH_12.01_eng.pdf?ua=1