A consensus-based approach to national public health accreditation.

The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) solicited (and continues to solicit) the input of more than 400 subject matter experts in various areas of public health during the development and ongoing revision of the accreditation standards and measures. This process is designed to ensure that the standards and measures remain relevant and accommodate the various contexts under which public health departments practice in the United States. One way PHAB gathers feedback is convening a series of discussion meetings, or think tanks, with thought leaders in specific areas of public health, that focus on specific programmatic areas of public health, on the broader context of public health practice, or on emerging issues, such as public health informatics. The think tanks complement other mechanisms to assure that standards and measures are relevant, including gathering input from the practice community, receiving recommendations from public health departments that have undergone the accreditation process, and reviewing relevant literature. While this process allows PHAB to demonstrate its commitment to continuous quality improvement by modifying and improving the standards and measures, it also serves as a communication vehicle for PHAB to educate thought leaders and public health practitioners about the national accreditation program.