A unique multidisciplinary team from Harvard University and other institutions will employ a public health systems research approach to generate valid and reliable criteria and metrics to assess, and ultimately improve, public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) in the United States. Despite the national investment of billions of dollars in PHEP training since 9/11, the IOM recently noted that the country lacks"""""""" validated criteria and metrics that enable public health systems to achieve continuous improvement and to demonstrate the value of society's investment."""""""" To address this need, we propose LAMPS (Linking Assessment and Measurement to Performance in PHEP Systems), a new center that will pursue a coordinated and integrated four-step approach to the development of PHEP criteria and metrics through four projects. These projects are framed by a measurement development cycle that addresses four key questions: (1) why measure - clarify the purposes and uses of the measurement effort;(2) what to measure -- identify the domains and criteria to be measured;(3) how to measure - develop specific metrics for each concept;and (4) how well do the metrics work -- assess the validity, reliability, utility, and practicality of the measures developed. Project 1, Linking Assessment and Measurement to PHEP Systems Improvement (""""""""PHEP Systems Improvement"""""""") focuses initially on the first step of the Cycle, i.e., why measure- to clarify the purposes and uses of the measurement effort related to guide PHEP systems improvement efforts using the innovative work of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Project 2, Linking Assessment and Measurement to PHEP through Engineering Systems Analysis (""""""""Engineering Systems Analysis"""""""") will focus on the second step of the Cycle, i.e., identifying what to measure with respect to preparedness domains and criteria non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) for pandemic influenza. Project 3 Linking Assessment and Measurement to Performance in PHEP Communications (""""""""PHEP Communications"""""""") addresses how to measure metrics for domains relevant to exposure, processing and attention to information pertaining to PHEP communications, and the intended outcomes. Project 4 Linking Assessment and Measurement to Performance in PHEP Drills and Exercises (""""""""Drills and Exercises"""""""") will start at the fourth step of the Cycle by examining how well metrics related to drills and exercise perform with respect to their validity and reliability. Through these projects and a Core training initiative, LAMPS will illuminate science and public health practice for the future.
