Public health department accreditation implementation: transforming public health department performance.

In response to a call for improved quality and consistency in public health departments, the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is leading a voluntary public health accreditation initiative in the United States. The public health department accreditation system will implement a comprehensive set of standards that set uniform performance expectations for health departments to provide the services necessary to keep communities healthy. Continuous quality improvement is a major component of PHAB accreditation, demonstrating a commitment to empower and encourage public health departments to continuously improve their performance. The accreditation process was tested in 30 health departments around the country in 2009 and 2010, and was launched on a national level in September 2011 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.