Effective Reportable Disease Surveillance for COVID-19 Recovery
The core mission of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect the health and well-being of Angelenos. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this charge has become even more critical. DPH recognized that a strong underlying reportable disease surveillance system was key to ensuring timely and accurate... Read more
Developing a New Staffing Management Model to Improve Patient Care
To maximize resources and improve patient care, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) continually assesses the efficiency of its operations. As part of these improvements, DHS is working to institute an innovative new return-to-work staffing management model, which will help manage and meet the needs of employees... Read more
Designing a Succession Planning Framework to Improve Healthcare Hiring
One of the largest healthcare systems in the U.S., the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) cares for more than 600,000 patients annually. The average DHS employee is over the age of 50, and an increasing number of managers and supervisors in nursing and administration are nearing retirement... Read more
Planning for the Service Needs of a Growing Aging Population
Los Angeles County is home to a vibrant and diverse group of more than two million residents aged 60 and older. By 2030, that number will approach three million, or 28 percent of the county population. To serve older residents, both the county and city of Los Angeles operate Area... Read more
Redesigning Physician Recruitment to Improve Access to Care
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) runs the nation's second-largest municipal health system, annually caring for more than 800,000 patients. But like many cities and communities across the country, DHS is experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians. To counter this deficiency, FUSE Executive Fellow Nancy Villasenor... Read more
Expanding Transfer and Command Center Operations
Los Angeles County’s municipal health system is the nation’s second-largest, annually caring for 600,000 patients at 19 health centers and four hospitals. In the past, the County’s Department of Health Services (DHS) struggled to bring insured patients back from out-of-network hospitals, with 15,000 to 20,000 patients being treated in other... Read more
Transforming Transportation Technology for Communities
The technologies behind such developments as smart infrastructure, ride-sharing, and driverless vehicles are changing how people get around. To prepare for these changes and ensure that all residents benefit, especially those in traditionally underserved communities, the Minneapolis Department of Public Works enlisted help from FUSE Executive Fellow Danielle Elkins. Through... Read more
Communicating Health Services
The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) offers emergency, primary, and specialty care, while serving as the healthcare safety net for the county’s most vulnerable residents. Medicaid expansion has increased competitive pressure on the department, which already struggles with outdated public perceptions of the system’s scope and quality.... Read more
Creating an Integrated Service Delivery Model to Improve Public Health
Residents of Long Beach have access to more than 40 programs through the Department of Health and Human Services. These programs address a variety of community health needs, including family planning, HIV care, homelessness, veteran support, and more. But there is no department-wide standard for determining client need or eligibility... Read more
Easing Traffic Conditions for Improved Mobility and Health
In East Palo Alto, the effects of cut-through traffic, congestion, and parking have had serious consequences on the health, safety, and quality of life for residents. In search of solutions, the city hired consultants to conduct a mobility study that provides short-, mid-, and long-term recommendations addressing these issues. To... Read more