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Knowledge Management

There is no universal definition for knowledge management.  One useful definition is “a conscious strategy of getting the right knowledge to the right people at the right time and helping people share and put information into action in ways that strive to improve organizational performance.” 1

The goal of knowledge management is to make an organization’s knowledge stores -- both explicit (recorded) and tacit (personal know-how) more accessible and useful. 

(1) If Only We Knew What We Know, Carla O'Dell and C. Jackson Grayson, Jr., The Free Press, 1998

Note that the definition says nothing about technology.  While knowledge management is often facilitated by information technology, technology by itself is not knowledge management.  

 

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Knowledge Management in
Local Public Health Practice
 

This presentation was delivered at the 2003 NACCHO Leadership Conference provides a detailed overview of how local public health agencies can manage internal knowledge and assist in health knowledge management of the larger public health system. More »

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Privacy and Confidentiality
Privacy is a major challenge in the management and exchange of public health, clinical and laboratory data.  Advances in health information technologies allow for a streamlined exchange of personal health records that must meet the security standards outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act  (HIPAA). The HIPAA legislation will not only have far reaching effects on the health insurance industry, but will also have important implications for public health. To learn more about HIPAA explore one of the following Web sites. More »
 

 

Related Content
Resources
 
Meeting the Challenges Presented by the HIPAA Privacy Rule in Public Health Practice. This document shares state reflections on the HIPAA Privacy Rule and its impact on public health practice one year after its implementation. 
Program Spotlight
model practice

Sacramento, CA

Sept. 9-12, 2008