The Environmental Health Knowledge Management Project

1. The Environmental Health Knowledge Management Project Rollout of the EHKMP Part 1 : Action Plan – Food Program Name of presenter Title Affiliation Name of presenter Title Affiliation

2. The Environmental Health Knowledge Management Project (EHKMP) • An initiative to improve the collection and sharing of environmental health information on a statewide basis. • It includes all environmental health programs and activities at the state and local levels. What is the EHKMP anyway?

3. The beginnings of the EHKMP • October, 2005 – New web based data system demonstrated. • December, 2005 – Call for Steering Committee volunteers issued. • January, 2006 - Work begins. How did the project get started?

4. The rational behind the EHKMP • The quality of current EH information is unknown. • Information is not easily exchanged among local public health and MDH. • Information is not easily accessible to the regulated community and consumers. Why is the EHKMP needed?

6. Engaging Stakeholders: The EHKMP Steering Committee • Serve as spokespersons • Prioritize environmental health programs • Recruit others to get involved • Set goals for statewide data sharing • Guide and support the development of Action Plans What have they been asked to do?

7. The first EHKMP Working Group - Food Program What were they asked to do? • Share their time, expertise, and perspectives • Select data to be shared statewide to support EHKMP food program goals. • Develop an Action Plan that maps out data sharing improvement strategies

8. The First Focus Group - Food Program What were they asked to do? • Review draft Action Plan documents. • Share their time, expertise, and perspectives. • Provide input as to whether Action Plan documents lay the groundwork for improving the statewide sharing of food program data.

9. Prioritization decisions made by the EHKMP Steering Committee EH program areas to tackle first • Food Safety • Drinking Water • Lead • Radon • Mold • Lodging/Residential Facilities

10. Putting together thefirst EHKMPAction Plan – lesson no. 1 • The Steering Committee chartered the course for the Working Group to follow by creating a vision statement and goals for the EHKMP food program effort. Make sure everyone agrees on the direction you are heading

11. More about lesson no. 1Decide on the direction you are heading Vision for the EHKMP food program effort: • To reduce the true incidence of food borne illness in Minnesota. Goals for the EHKMP food program effort: • Ensure consistent and high quality implementation of food safety and protection across all facilities / jurisdictions. • Use food borne illness risk factors as a basis when training, regulating, investigating illness, communicating, and evaluating food safety protection. • Everyone in Minnesota’s food safety system understands and carries out their roles and responsibilities.

12. Putting together thefirst EHKMPAction Plan – lesson no. 2 Make sure everyone agrees on terminology. Thinking about terms used in licensing … “We all know what we mean …. right?”

13. More about lesson no. 2Decide on common terminology “Food Establishment” • Premises • Business • Establishment • Facility • Institution • Licensee • Corporation • LLC • Group

14. Putting together thefirst EHKMPAction Plan – lesson no. 3 Engage front-line staff in deciding on what data should be shared. • The Working Group included food program front line staff representing: • Local health departments • Minnesota Environmental Health Association • Minnesota Department of Health • Minnesota Department of Agriculture • Two EHKMP Steering Committee members with food program expertise participated in the Working Group, including: • a local health department representative • an industry representative

15. More about lesson no. 3Use the expertise of front-line staff How did the Working Group decide what data to share? • Programmatic goals for the EHKMP food program effort • CDC Food Borne Illness Risk Factors • Personal experience and professional judgment

16. Putting together thefirst EHKMPAction Plan – lesson no. 4 Expect the process to take more time than you think. • After more than a year of hard work, the EHKMP Working Group (Food Program) presented documents that comprise the EHKMP Action Plan: Part 1 – Food Program to the EHKMP Steering Committee.

17. More about lesson no. 4Allow time to work through the process

18. Results – EHKMP Action Plan: Part 1: Food Program The EHKMP Action Plan: Part 1 - Food Program lays the groundwork for: • Improving the sharing of food program data on a statewide basis. • Reaching the goals identified by the EHKMP Steering Committee. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/local/knowproj/actionplans/food_documents.html

19. Results – Action Plan Tools: EHKMP Logic Model

20. Results – Action Plan Tools: EHKMP Data Flow Diagrams

21. Results – Action Plan Tools: EHKMP Data Dictionaries

22. Results – Action Plan Tools: EHKMP Data Dictionaries

23. Critical information will be captured. Collaboration will be supported with access to shared knowledge. Surveillance systems will be strengthened. Information will be readily available to share with regulated parties and the public. What do we view as the benefits of the EHKMP?

24. So … why are we “rolling out” the first EHKMP Action Plan? • To convey information about the EHKMP and accomplishments to date. • To encourage agencies to participate in the implementation of the EHKMP Action Plan: Part 1 – Food Program whenever practicable. • To gain support for future EHKMP initiatives.

25. Questions? • <Name of Presenter> • <Name of Presenter> • Project web site: www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/local/knowproj/ For more information, contact: Jennifer L. Miller, EHKMP Project Manager jennifer.miller@health.state.mn.us 651-201-4556