Date of Award

Summer 2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Health Services Research

Committee Director

Holly Gaff

Committee Member

Deanne Shuman

Committee Member

Rani A. Kady

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the system performance in delivering oral health services in a public health district based on the Conceptual Framework to Measure Performance of the Public Health System (PHS). Using modeling and simulation, a predictive model based on the conceptual framework dimensions: mission, structural capacity, processes, and outcomes was developed to predict the performance of public health district in delivering oral health services.

This is a retrospective longitudinal study. The main objective of this study is to use a modeling and simulation approach to predict the performance of public health district dental clinic in delivering oral health services. Specifically, the following performance metrics were examined: average number of patients' visits per day at a public health district dental clinic; average number of diagnostic and preventive dental services delivered by the dentist or the dental hygienist per day at a public health district dental clinic; average number of corrective services provided by the dentist per day at a public health district dental clinic; and average total dental services. The scenarios, based on the existing structural capacities and the number of personnel, were modeled and simulated using Rockwell Automation Software, Arena® version 13.5.

Purposeful sampling consisted of five public health district dental clinics of Hampton Roads for the fiscal years, 2005–2010. For the purpose of this study the following five public health district dental clinics were chosen: Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Peninsula, and Western Tidewater. Norfolk Health District operates two sites: Little Creek and Park Place. Virginia Beach District operates two sites: Birdneck and Pembroke. Western Tidewater Health District operates two sites: Isle of Wight and Southampton.

Data analysis revealed that adding a new healthcare provider (a dental hygienist) to the system has a statistically significant influence in delivering oral health services at all public health districts' dental clinics in the following performance metrics: number of patients' visits per day, diagnosis and preventive services, corrective services, and total number of dental services (p < 0.05).

DOI

10.25777/svqy-nm82

ISBN

9781124635521

Download

Share

COinS