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ORC - Glossary

Use the glossary to view descriptions and definitions of Essential Services, Indicators, Themes, and Resource Types you may come across in the Online Resource Center.

Saved Topics: Laboratory Systems & Standards, Online Resource Center

Essential Services (ES)

expand ES1 - Monitor Health Status To Identify Community Health Problems
Partners in the State Public Health Laboratory System are intricately involved in the monitoring of health status of communities and contribute to the identification of community health problems. Partners in the System participate in processes to support health surveillance programs by generating accurate and timely laboratory data in all areas of public health (i.e., communicable, metabolic, and chronic diseases and environmental exposures). Appropriate laboratory data is communicated rapidly and efficiently to all appropriate partners.

expand ES2 - Diagnose and Investigate Health Problems and Health Hazards In The Community
Participants in the State Public Health Laboratory System provide laboratory services of the highest quality; consistent with the needs of the state and communities. Members of the System collaborate through networks to support responses to public health emergencies, and have the capacity, authority and necessary arrangements in place to assure rapid response to such emergencies.

expand ES3 - Inform, Educate, And Empower People About Health Issues
Members of the State Public Health Laboratory System are actively engaged in creating and distributing accurate and relevant information about laboratory issues to health partners (e.g., providers, physicians) and non-health partners (e.g. public, policy makers). System partners participate in outreach through education and communication to identify needs and share appropriate information. Partnerships exist to empower communities to initiate programs in response to health problems.

expand ES4 - Mobilize Commmunity Partnerships To Identify And Solve Health Problems
The State Public Health Laboratory leads the development of the State Public Health Laboratory System. Members of the System create and maintain a network of partnerships with stakeholders to identify and solve health problems related to the laboratory system. System partners communicate regularly with each other to foster collaboration, and share resources to support the mobilization of partnerships in response to community health issues.

expand ES5 - Develop Policies and Plans That Support Individual and Community Health Efforts
The State Public Health Laboratory and its system partners provide expertise, at all levels of government, in policy development related to laboratory services. Health policy is based on adequate laboratory data, scientifically sound policy options, and policies that are consistent across jurisdictions. The System disseminates new and revised policy to all appropriate community partners. Policies and plans that affect the State Public Health Laboratory System are reviewed and updated on a regular basis.

expand ES6 - Enforce Laws and Regulations That Protect Health and Ensure Safety
The Public Health Laboratory System and its system partners assure that all laboratory-related laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety are enforced. System members review and recommend revisions of applicable laws and regulations on a regular basis. System members encourage compliance with the laws and regulations and support necessary enforcement functions.

expand ES7 - Link People To Needed Personal Health Services and Assure The Provision of Healthcare When Otherwise Unavailable
Members of the State Public Health Laboratory System work to assure that people in the state have access to laboratory services, especially when services are otherwise unavailable. To accomplish this, System members establish processes to identify laboratory services that are needed, and collaborate within the system to fill any identified gaps.

expand ES8 - Assure a Competent Public Health and Personal Care Workforce
Members of the State Public Health Laboratory System collaborate to assure that the laboratory workforce is adequate in make-up and is highly qualified to respond to all demands for laboratory service. The System promotes the consistent use of position descriptions which are based on education, experience, and certification for all members of the System workforce. System members regularly monitor and assess the performance of their laboratory staff.

expand ES9 - Evaluate Effectiviness, Accessibility, and Quality of Personal and Population-Base Services
Members of the State Public Health Laboratory System regularly examine services and operations in the System to assure that the needs of the community it serves continue to be met, the quality of services provided are high, and changes are made when quality and access objectives are not met. System members regularly evaluate the utility of collaboration across the State Public Health Laboratory System and strive for improvement.

expand ES10 - Research For Insights and Innovative Solutions To Health Problems
Members of the State Public Health Laboratory System collaborate to find evidence-based solutions to current health issues and problems encountered by System partners. The System utilizes the expertise and resources of a broad range of partners from the clinical and environmental laboratory arenas, academia, and other science-based disciplines. Research findings are evaluated and broadly disseminated.

Indicators

expand 1.1 - Surveillance Information System
The SPH Laboratory System generates surveillance information to support others to monitor and identify health problems in the community.

expand 1.2 - Monitoring of Community Health Status
The SPH Laboratory System generates information supporting others to identify and monitor health problems in the community and state.

expand 2.1 - Appropriate and State of the Art Testing
The SPH Laboratory System assures the availability of appropriate laboratory testing of high quality to support timely diagnosis and investigation of all health problems and hazards.

expand 2.2 - Collaboration and Networks
The SPH Laboratory System collaborates and establishes networks to respond to natural and man-made disasters

expand 2.3 - Continuity of Operations Plan and Surge Capacity
The SPH Laboratory System has the necessary capacity, authority, and other preparations in place to assure a rapid response to public health emergencies.

expand 3.1 - Appropriate and State of the Art Testing


expand 3.2 - Public Information
The SPH Laboratory System provides reliable information to inform the community.

expand 3.3 - Education
The SPH Laboratory System empowers community partners through education.

expand 4.1 - Constituency Development
Organizations within the SPH Laboratory System demonstrate collaborative relationships with each other.

expand 4.2 - Communication
The SPH Laboratory System has a plan in place to support regular and effective collaboration.

expand 4.3 - Resources
The SPH Laboratory System has resources to solve health issues.

expand 5.1 - Role in Laboratory Related Policy Making
The SPH Laboratory System contributes expertise to inform and influence policy based on science and data.

expand 5.2 - Partnerships in Public Health Planning
The SPH Laboratory System assures broad involvement in developing plans and policies addressing priority issues.

expand 5.3 - Dissemination And Evaluation
The SPH Laboratory System disseminates current plans and policies.

expand 6.1 - Revisions of Laws and Regulations
The SPH Laboratory System contributes to revisions of laws and regulations pertaining to laboratory practice.

expand 6.2 - Encourage Compliance
The SPH Laboratory System encourages its members to comply with applicable laws and regulations.

expand 6.3 - Enforcement of Laws and Regulations
The State Public Health Laboratory and/or other organizations within the SPH Laboratory System have necessary authority and resources to enforce laws and regulations.

expand 7.1 - Availability of Laboratory Services
The SPH Laboratory System collaborates to assure access to laboratory services.

expand 8.1 - Workforce Competencies
Competencies for all laboratory workforce categories within the SPH Laboratory System are defined and regularly assessed.

expand 8.2 - Staff Development
The SPH Laboratory System provides a range of staff development activities to address identified needs.

expand 8.3 - Assuring Laboratory Workforce
The SPH Laboratory System creates the conditions which assure continued availability of an adequate workforce

expand 9.1 - System Mission and Purpose
The SPH Laboratory System regularly evaluates its collective mission, services provided and technologies used.

expand 9.2 - System Effectiveness, Quality, and Consumer Satisfaction
The SPH Laboratory System evaluates the quality of laboratory services provided in the state.

expand 9.3 - SPH Laboratory System Collaboration
The SPH Laboratory System evaluates the usefulness and quality of collaboration throughout the system.

expand 10.1 - Planning and Financing Research Activities
The SPH Laboratory System plans meaningful research and innovation activities.

expand 10.2 - Implementation, Evaluation, and Dissemination
The SPH Laboratory System involves a broad range of partners to conduct and evaluate research and to disseminate findings.

Cross Cutting Themes

expand Workforce Capacity and Competency
Competencies, diversity, training and education (NLTN), leadership development (NCLL), recruitment and retention, succession planning

expand Information and Data Systems
Surveillance and alert systems (disease prevention, detection and control, etc.), health statistics and databases, data standards and interoperability, information management (LIMS)

expand Organizational and Systems Capacity
Governmental public health infrastructure, partnerships and collaborations, policy development and advocacy (laws, policies, regulations), plans and protocols, media and communication (public relations, marketing, laboratories in the news), budget and finance, facilities (management, new laboratories), performance management systems

expand Performance Standards
Indicators, goals and targets, expectations

expand Performance Measurement
Instrument(s), assessment process, data submission

expand Reporting of Progress
Post-assessment process, analyzing data, giving feedback, reporting cycle

expand Quality Improvement Process
Using data and information, tools, managing change, creating a learning organization, outcomes impact

expand Laboratory Practice
Evidence base (screening and testing, reference and special testing, state-of-the-art testing, etc.), epidemic investigation, best practices and case studies, research

expand Laboratory Response
All hazards preparedness, laboratory response network (LRN), environmental health and protection, food safety

Resource Types

expand Tool/Guidance Material
Toolkits, handbooks, instrument and equipment brochures, resources from APHL User Calls, protocols, models, algorithms, and other materials that would be helpful in preparation for laboratory practice.

expand Practice of Note/Lesson Learned
Collection of practices across public health laboratory systems areas. This category of materials allows you to benefit from your colleagues' experiences by sharing lessons learned in improving the state public health laboratory system. This can include partnerships between public and clinical laboratories, increased communication mechanisms, memorandums of understanding, etc.

expand Marketing & Communication
Messages and related media used to communicate with a market of interest. Marketing communications discipline objectives are supported by three principal methods: advertising, graphic arts, and public relations. May include fact sheets and brochures.

expand Training Material
Instruction, discipline, or exercises, such as curricula, skills tests, educational courses, and distance learning to make one qualified or proficient in laboratory practice (e.g., NLTN).

expand Meeting Note
Includes APHL sub-committee or steering committee public notes and notes shared by laboratory members.

expand Presentation
Most commonly in a PowerPoint format, a presentation is the process of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience.

expand Resource Contact
May include consultants or facilitators with a specific training expertise.

expand Web Resource
Not limited to an organizations’ website’s tools and resources (e.g., CSTE).

expand Report
Types of reports include scientific reports, recommendation reports, white papers, annual reports, progress reports, investigative reports, policy reports, etc.