What is “Policy”?
Policy is a law, regulation, procedure, administrative action, incentive, or voluntary practice of governments and other institutions. Policy decisions are frequently reflected in resource allocations. Health can be influenced by policies in many different sectors. For example, transportation policies can encourage physical activity (pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly community design); policies in schools can improve nutritional content of school meals.
The Policy-Public Health Connection
Within the context of public health, policy development includes the advancement and implementation of public health law, regulations, or voluntary practices that influence systems development, organizational change, and individual behavior to promote improvements in health. Such policies can be executed within the health sector, for example, using Medicare conditions of participation or reimbursem*nt to influence health care delivery, or using the tax code to encourage employer-provided health insurance. However, public health goals can also be achieved working in other sectors such as education, agriculture, or employment, among others.
Why is Policy important to Public Health?
According to the Institute of Medicine1, 2 policy development is an essential public health function. Further, policy development is included in three of the 10 Essential Public Health Services.3 Public health professionals play an important role in policy development by conducting policy-relevant research, communicating findings in a manner that facilitates action, developing partnerships, and encouraging the efficient use of resources through the promotion of policies based on science—such as the promotion of evidence-based,4,5 health interventions.
Policy Professionals
CDC’s policy professionals are guided by advanced training not only in public health, economics, and formal policy analysis, but also in medicine, law, nursing, life sciences, management, public administration, social work, international affairs, geographic information systems, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and related disciplines. Policy professionals provide knowledge of health systems, public health methods and approaches, and strategy development. Policy professionals at CDC evaluate the results of various public health efforts, make recommendations when change is warranted, and develop plans to address perceived or real gaps between stakeholder expectations and the agency’s performance or commitments. CDC policy staff also assess opportunities and risks; analyze issues, trends, and program and human, operational and capital resource allocation; develop strategic partnerships; facilitate policy analysis, formulation, intervention design, and evaluation; and conduct performance and impact evaluation.
CDC Definition of Policy: Printable version
- Institute of Medicine (U.S.). The Future of Public Health. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 1988.
- Institute of Medicine (U.S.). The Future of the Public’s Health in the 21st Century. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 2002.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The Essential Public Health Services” Retrieved February 29, 2008 from National Public Health Website.
- The Guide to Community Preventive Services : What Works to Promote Health? / Task Force on Community Preventive Services; edited by Stephanie Zaza, Peter A. Briss, Kate W. Harris. New York: Oxford University Press; 2005
- Campbell KP, Lanza A, Dixon R, Chattopadhyay S, Molinari N, Finch RA, editors. A Purchaser’s Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Moving Science into Coverage. Washington, DC: National Business Group on Health; 2006
FAQs
Policy evaluation is conducted for checking the effects of the policies of respective ministries and for evaluating the policies in terms of necessity, efficiency, validity, etc. to improve the planning and implementation process.
What is policy evaluation in healthcare? ›
The fundamental goal of policy analysis is to understand the effect of an intervention on patients, health care professionals, or hospitals. Although a randomized controlled design is considered the criterion standard for isolating a causal effect, such a design is rarely plausible in health policy evaluation.
What is the legal definition of a policy? ›
Policy is a law, regulation, procedure, administrative action, incentive, or voluntary practice of governments and other institutions. Policy decisions are frequently reflected in resource allocations.
What is performance evaluation policy? ›
The process is designed to provide an assessment of an employee's work in relation to pre-established standards and expectations for the position, reflect on the past year's achievements, identify any areas for improvement, establish training needs, establish and communicate clear performance expectations and goals for ...
What is evaluation in simple words? ›
Evaluation is a systematic and intentional process of gathering and analyzing data (quantitative and qualitative), to inform learning, decision-making and action.
What are the five criteria for policy evaluation? ›
Other public policy evaluation criteria may also be relevant depending on the nature of the review (See Section 3.5). Each of the five evaluation criteria (rationale, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and continued relevance) is discussed in the following paragraphs.
What are the three main types of policy evaluations? ›
The three main types of evaluation, shown in the bottom row of Figure 3, each focus on a different phase of the policy process5: policy content evaluation, policy implementation evaluation, and policy impact evaluation.
What does policy evaluation involve? ›
Policy evaluation helps us understand the wider effects of policy, from whether it is working or not to any unintended consequences. Furthermore, we also determine whether a policy accurately conveys the technical details to those involved, and whether the policy is treating those affected ethically and legally.
Why is evaluation important in policy making? ›
The role of evaluation in policy making
If evaluation shows something isn't being implemented properly, or just isn't effective, it can help us make changes to improve the programme, or justify reallocating its resources to something more effective.
What is the meaning of policy monitoring and evaluation? ›
Monitoring and evaluation are the processes that allow policy- makers and programme managers to assess: how an intervention evolves over time (monitoring); how effectively a programme was implemented and whether there are gaps between the planned and achieved results (evaluation); and whether the changes in well-being ...
policy noun [C] (PLAN)
a set of ideas or a plan of what to do in particular situations that has been agreed to officially by a group of people, a business organization, a government, or a political party: They believe that Europe needs a common foreign and security policy.
What is the best meaning of policy? ›
A policy is a set of ideas or plans that is used as a basis for making decisions, especially in politics, economics, or business. ... plans that include changes in foreign policy and economic reforms. Synonyms: procedure, plan, action, programme More Synonyms of policy.
What is policy term in simple words? ›
Definition of 'policy term'
The policy term is the lifetime of an insurance policy. The policy will also pay out if death occurs before the end of the agreed policy term. This policy will expire at 12:01 a.m. on the last day of the policy term. The policy term is the lifetime of an insurance policy. policy.
