Capturing Health Improvement Activities Turns Plan into Action
Mariah Pokorny
Over the past two years South Dakotans have made their voice heard and engaged in developing the state’s first State Health Assessment (SHA) and State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). These foundational documents are major milestones for aligning and prioritizing health improvement initiatives across the state. Turning the plan into action will require collecting and tracking health improvement activities in each of the three health priority areas: Access to Care; Behavioral Health and Mental Health; and Care Quality.
The State Health Improvement Coalition came together in Pierre recently to celebrate, reflect, and discuss ongoing collaboration and engagement. Mariah Pokorny, deputy division director of licensure and accreditation for the South Dakota Department of Health (DOH), has been leading the effort for the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) application and emphasized the value of these foundational documents.
Pokorny said, “Achieving health equity is the common goal for everyone involved in the State Health Improvement Coalition. This process of gathering data and feedback allowed us to dig deeper into the factors impacting length and quality of life. The data highlights health disparities and the expertise from the Coalition provides solutions to achieve greater impact.”
The DOH contracted with the South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care (SDFMC) to engage the Coalition and coordinate the SHA and SHIP to meet the PHAB domain one and domain five criteria. The Coalition members represent state agencies, health systems, health payers, academic institutions, nonprofits, and other community-based organizations.
“I have facilitated some lively discussions and been inspired by the desire to lead change and find ways to work together to improve health outcomes for South Dakotans,” said Stacie Fredenburg, SDFMC. “Members made recommendations to engage other organizations and partners in task groups and work groups. The commitment to a collaborative process has been impressive.”
This diverse group reviewed SHA data, defined the problem, identified the people, and determined solutions to create the framework for the SHIP. Work groups have been meeting since April 2024 to prioritize SHIP objectives and identify existing programs and initiatives. The work plan will list activities, activity owners, timelines, and the data used to track progress and outcomes. Public health programs are essential within the work plan, which will help identify areas of alignment and collaboration across state agencies and community initiatives.
Pokorny recognizes the potential of a comprehensive list of health programs and a method for tracking their progress. “As state agencies develop new strategic plans, their respective activities will be added to the SHIP work plans. The DOH will be tracking activity progress using a performance management tool. This dashboard option will increase the ability to match health programs to SHIP objectives and improve health equity.
The DOH Health Equity and Cultural Competency efforts include the SHA and the SHIP, which serve as a strategic planning guide for the DOH and many others who share in the vision of Every South Dakotan Healthy and Strong.