Performance Excellence

New to Quality Improvement? Start with “Understand the Basics,” then follow the steps below to guide your project from idea to completion.

Start Here: Not Sure What to Do?

Use this guide to figure out your next step.

  • QI Decision Tree Guide (Start Here) this becomes your front door.

Learn the Basics (Optional but Helpful)

These resources help you learn what Quality Improvement is and how it fits into PHSD’s work.

Step 1: Decide if a QI Project is Needed

Use these tools to determine whether your idea is appropriate for a QI project and to gain initial approval.

Step 2: Plan Your Improvement

Once your project is approved, these resources help you organize your work and prepare for action.

Step 3: Analyze the Problem

These tools help you understand root causes and identify potential solutions.

Step 4: Test and Document Your Improvement

Use these resources to carry out your PDSA cycle and document what you learned.

Step 5: Share and Sustain Your Results

After completing your project, these resources help communicate results and ensure sustainability.

QI Trainings and Tools kits

PHAB Resources
QI Showcase
Performance Excellence ~ Where your data tells your programmatic public health story through visualization(s), aka dashboards, that are frequently monitored and analyzed during progress reviews. Action is proactive and often leads to improvement (QAssurance / QImprovement / QControl).

CoPs - Communities of Practice

Accreditation

Accreditation represents far more than a designation for a health department. It is a public affirmation of accountability, transparency, and a steadfast commitment to excellence in protecting and improving community health. For the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Public Health and Safety Division (PHSD), accreditation reflects a longstanding dedication to serving all Montanans while partnering closely with Local and Tribal Health Departments and contributing to national public health advancement.

Montana’s journey toward accreditation began with a vision to strengthen the public health system through measurable standards and continuous learning. PHSD first achieved accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in 2016, marking a historic milestone for the state. This achievement affirmed that Montana met nationally recognized standards for quality and performance. Building on this foundation, PHSD successfully attained reaccreditation in May 2025, demonstrating sustained excellence and an enduring commitment to improvement.

The Art of Accreditation and Reaccreditation

Accreditation is not a one-time accomplishment but an ongoing journey of organizational maturity. PHAB’s standards emphasize leadership, community engagement, evidence-based practice, and a culture of quality. Reaccreditation, in particular, reflects an organization’s ability to sustain these practices over time while adapting to emerging public health challenges. For Montana, this process has strengthened governance, enhanced collaboration with Local and Tribal Health Departments, and reinforced a shared responsibility for advancing population health outcomes.

Central to this journey is the integration of performance management and quality improvement. PHSD embraces a learning organization model in which data informs insight, insight drives strategy, and strategy leads to meaningful action. Through structured performance management systems and right-sized quality improvement initiatives, the division ensures that accreditation standards are not only met but continuously advanced. This commitment aligns with national best practices promoted by organizations such as the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Public Health Foundation (PHF), both of which emphasize workforce development, systems thinking, and organizational maturity.

Serving and Strengthening Local and Tribal Partnerships

PHSD’s accreditation journey is inherently collaborative. As the state health department, PHSD supports and serves all Local and Tribal Health Departments across Montana, fostering alignment with national standards while respecting the unique strengths and sovereignty of Tribal nations. Through technical assistance, shared learning opportunities, and coordinated community health assessment and improvement efforts, PHSD helps build system-wide capacity and resilience.

This partnership approach ensures that accreditation is not confined to a single agency but contributes to a cohesive and high-performing public health system. By promoting consistent standards, facilitating knowledge exchange, and supporting workforce development, PHSD strengthens the collective ability of Montana’s public health community to respond to current and future health challenges.

A Voice in National Public Health Leadership

Montana’s experience with accreditation extends beyond state borders. PHSD actively participates in national conversations about public health system maturity and the evolution of accreditation practices. By aligning with frameworks such as NACCHO’s Roadmap to a Culture of Quality and PHF’s Performance Management System Framework, Montana contributes valuable insights into how accreditation can drive sustainable system improvement, particularly within rural and frontier contexts.

A Strong Foundation for the Future

Accreditation provides a durable foundation built on standards, evidence-based practices, and continuous improvement. PHSD’s commitment to these principles ensures that the division remains responsive, accountable, and forward-looking. Through ongoing performance management and quality improvement efforts, Montana continues to learn, innovate, and refine its approach to public health practice.

For Local and Tribal Health Departments and national partners, PHSD’s accreditation journey represents a shared commitment to excellence. It signals that Montana’s public health system is grounded in best practices, strengthened through collaboration, and dedicated to improving the health and well-being of every community it serves.

Performance Excellence is the foundation of how we strengthen public health across Montana. It represents an integrated system that brings together Performance Management (PM), Quality Improvement (QI), and accreditation to ensure that our work is data-driven, accountable, and responsive to the needs of the communities we serve.

Through this system, we support both internal partners—including programs, bureaus, and leadership within the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services—and external partners, such as Local and Tribal Health Departments, community organizations, healthcare providers, and national collaborators. Together, we align efforts to improve health outcomes and advance public health practice statewide.

Performance Excellence sustains a strong foundation of data-informed decision making, guided by structured performance management, effective change management, and continuous quality improvement. Our commitment to accreditation reflects adherence to national standards and best practices, while fostering transparency, accountability, and organizational learning.

By living a culture of quality, we empower teams and communities to innovate, adapt, and achieve meaningful impact. These are innovations that matter—strengthening systems, enhancing partnerships, and ultimately lifting the health and well-being of all Montanans.