Accrediting local health departments: potentials and pitfalls

A 1990 study was undertaken to determine if the public health infrastructure at the community level could be used to evaluate a health department. Characteristics of the infrastructure were defined and criteria were developed to see if these characteristics would enable one to differentiate between health departments. The appropriateness of a process of accreditation in carrying out the assessment was also examined. The infrastructure concept had a validity, utility, and composition that can be employed to make reasonable distinctions between health departments. Further, use of an accreditation protocol to assess the performance of local health agencies was found to be feasible.