Evolution of Master of Public Health Core Curriculum: Trends and Insights.

Objectives: Revised accreditation criteria from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in 2016 prompted schools and programs of public health to shift their master of public health (MPH) core curricula. Our objective was to provide data on revisions to MPH core curricula at CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health and other descriptive statistics on the MPH core curriculum and required courses as of 2023.

Methods: We analyzed data from 67 accredited schools of public health and 130 accredited public health programs to assess changes from 2016 to 2023 in the MPH core curriculum.

Common and Critical Components Among Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Planning Models.

Community health assessment and community health improvement planning are continuous, systematic processes for assessing and addressing health needs in a community. Since there are different models to guide assessment and planning, as well as a variety of organizations and agencies that carry out these activities, there may be confusion in choosing among approaches. By examining the various components of the different assessment and planning models, we are able to identify areas for coordination, ways to maximize collaboration, and strategies to further improve community health.

Emergency Medical Service-based Care Coordination for Three Rural Communities.

Providers in rural areas face challenges to increasing health care access, reducing costs, and improving health care quality and outcomes. One promising model is expanding paramedic roles to include non- emergency home visits to patients. Employing a comparative case study, this paper describes three Emergency Medical Services (EMS)- based care coordination programs that provide services to rural, underserved patients, who frequently use EMS/emergency departments.

A Mixed-Methods Approach to Understanding Community Participation in Community Health Needs Assessments.

Context: Nonprofit hospitals are exempt from paying taxes. To maintain this status, they must provide benefit to the community they serve. In an attempt to improve accountability to these communities and the federal government, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 includes a provision that requires all nonprofit hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and implement strategies to address identified health priorities every 3 years.

Community Health Needs Assessment: Potential for Population Health Improvement.

Derived from various health care policies and initiatives, the concept of population health has been newly adopted by health care and medicine. In particular, it has been suggested that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provision that requires nonprofit hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment (CHNA) and implement strategies to address health priorities has the potential to improve population health. A mixed methods study design was used to examine the potential for population health improvements to occur through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-mandated nonprofit hospital CHNA and planning processes.

Nonprofit hospitals' approach to community health needs assessment.

Objectives: We sought a better understanding of how nonprofit hospitals are fulfilling the community health needs assessment (CHNA) provision of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to conduct CHNAs and develop CHNA and implementation strategies reports.

Methods: Through an Internet search of an estimated 179 nonprofit hospitals in Texas conducted between December 1, 2013, and January 5, 2014, we identified and reviewed 95 CHNA and implementation strategies reports. We evaluated and scored reports with specific criteria.

Rural health roundtables: a strategy for collaborative engagement in and between rural communities.

Introduction: The lack of formal public health infrastructure and trained health professionals in rural areas has a deleterious impact on rural populations for various health issues. The purpose of this article is to: (1) suggest a strategy regularly used by the authors that encourages relationship building and serves as a catalyst for rural communities to work together to initiate and make changes based on the local assets and dynamics; (2) provide a descriptive overview of this strategy; and (3) provide an illustrative case, using the Rural Ready Communities project, in which this strategy has been used.

Methods: The Rural Health Roundtable strategy includes identifying relevant topics and stakeholders; using specific methods to ensure stakeholder attendance; creating an informal, social environment where participants feel comfortable sharing; utilizing targeted questions to engage participants and empower local ownership; and following up with the participants through communication and evaluation.