Performance Excellence

Since 2008, Florida Department of Health in Broward County (DOH-Broward) has used the Malcolm Baldrige/Sterling Criteria as the foundation for achieving performance excellence in our public health efforts. The Baldrige/Sterling Criteria has enabled us to create an environment where each customer’s time and needs are central to our success; where our employees feel valued for their knowledge, skills, and in turn, are dedicated to our mission. Our results tell the story of those achievements.

DOH-Broward’s overall approach to maintaining an organizational focus on performance excellence, includes organizational learning through systematic planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Our strategic planning process encompasses the ongoing evaluation of key organizational objectives and opportunities for developing action plans to close gaps and achieve goals. Through the integration of data-driven decision-making into our culture of continuous improvement, and implementing a system of shared accountability, we have created a model that links the performance of employees responsible for the delivery of public health services directly to the senior leaders responsible for public health outcomes.

The key elements of our performance improvement system are embodied in two fundamental organizational processes. The first of these is our Performance Management System. The second is our Work Process Design and Improvement System. Both integrated approaches are grounded in Shewart/Deming’s Plan, Do, Check, Act methodology (PDCA). These agency-wide approaches to performance excellence serve as the key components of the DOH-Broward performance management system which integrate our performance improvement processes into our (1) leadership structure, (2) staff training, (3) planning and review processes, (4) administrative and programmatic services, (5) benchmarking and sharing of practices, and (6) evaluation of measurable results of organizational priorities and public health objectives.

DOH-Broward's approach to systematic knowledge and skill-sharing throughout the organization is accomplished through collaborative problem solving and decision making at all levels, regular team reviews, monthly leadership meetings, and department-wide availability of data and information (SharePoint, CHARTS, FLAIR, FIRS, Active Strategy, etc.) that is analyzed to improve overall organizational performance.

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) recognizes public health best practices through its Model Practices Program. The program honors and recognizes outstanding local health initiatives from across the nation, and shares and promotes these practices among local health departments through the Model Practice Database. As of 2024, DOH-Broward has been recognized by NACCHO with 18 National Model Practices, 42 Promising Practice awards; the most of any health department in the U.S, and three innovative practices. Additionally, NACCHO recognized DOH-Broward as the 2015 Large Local Health Department of the Year (https:// www.naccho.org/membership/awards/model-practices.)

In 2019, Broward County was awarded the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize. The RWJF Culture of Health Prize honors and elevates U.S. communities that are making great strides in their journey toward better health for all. The seven prize criteria are: 1) Defining health in the broadest possible terms 2) Committing to sustainable systems changes and policy-oriented long-term solutions 3) Creating conditions that give everyone a fair and just opportunity to reach their best possible health 4) Harnessing the collective power of leaders, partners, and community members 5) Securing and making the most of available resources 6) Measuring and sharing progress and results. DOH-Broward led the efforts for our community in pursuit of this prestigious recognition.

In 2018, The Sterling Council recognized the DOH-Broward as a role model organization with the prestigious Governor's Sterling Award for 2018, which is the highest recognition for performance excellence an organization can achieve in the state of Florida (https://thesterlingcouncil.org/organizational-assessments-awards/awards-and-recognition/).

The National Network of Public health Institutes recognized DOH-Broward in 2018 for its Public Health Innovation Award which is "presented to an organization or individual who has taken a risk and developed an innovative solution or created a unique partnership resulting in new approaches, scalable ideas and new ways of working together" (nnphi.org).