IHS 2024 Work Plan Summary
Summary
The Indian Health Service is developing and implementing a work plan to identify, assess, report, and manage enterprise-level risks that impact the IHS environment. In support of the agency’s enterprise risk management efforts, the goal of the 2024 Agency Work Plan is to make an immediate impact on the Indian health system in alignment with the IHS mission and Strategic Plan.
The 2024 Agency Work Plan is a living document that outlines critical actions the IHS is taking over the next year to address risk priorities identified by IHS leadership. A workgroup will lead each activity to identify root causes and design an implementation and monitoring plan to demonstrate a measurable impact on the agency.
The IHS remains committed to mitigating programmatic and operational risks before they arise. IHS leadership is focused on increased and effective communication with Tribal and Urban Indian Organization partners on this work while developing sustainable actions.
Overview
The IHS leadership team is developing and implementing an Agency Work Plan. This plan details critical actions that address priorities that directly impact IHS operations, improve communication, and ensure safe, quality, and patient-centered care.
To address agency priorities, the IHS will provide rigorous management and oversight of resources to ensure the health care needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives are met.
The work plan outlines critical priorities that will guide agency improvements over the next year and complements ongoing activities to improve patient safety and provide critical oversight of our programs. In 2021, the IHS developed an action plan to meet the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s criteria for being removed from their high-risk list. That effort provides a foundation upon which the agency will move forward with implementing the 2024 Agency Work Plan.
Agency Priorities Aligned with IHS 2019-2023 Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives
(Note: Agency priorities will be aligned with an updated IHS Strategic Plan once released)
IHS Strategic Plan Goal 1: To ensure that comprehensive, culturally appropriate personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native people.
Objective 1.1: Recruit, develop, and retain a dedicated, competent, and caring workforce.
Human Capital
- Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Sanitation Facilities Construction
- Assess for the Most Effective Human Resources System
- Employee Wellbeing and Resiliency
IHS Strategic Plan Goal 2: To promote excellence and quality through innovation of the Indian health system into an optimally performing organization.
Objective 2.2: Provide care to better meet the health care needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Patient Safety
- Facility Manager and Safety Officer Training Agency Wide
Operational
- Design a Robust Care Management System to Help Patients Navigate the Healthcare System
- Design a Policy Review Process – Policy Management System
Compliance/Regulatory
- Design Governing Board Standardization
Strategic
- Assess Needs of Patient Populations
IHS Strategic Plan Goal 3: To strengthen IHS program management and operations.
Objective 3.1: Improve communication within the organization with Tribes, Urban Indian Organizations, and other stakeholders, and with the general public.
Operational
- Evaluate and Improve Internal Communications
- VA and IHS Memorandum of Understanding Performance Measures – Improve External Communication
- Strengthen Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
Objective 3.2: Secure and effectively manage the assets and resources.
Operational:
- Acquisition Planning
Financial
- Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Authorization and Payment Process
- PRC Carryover
- Document Oversight of Facility Budgets
2024 Agency Work Plan Implementation and Monitoring
The IHS has instituted effective systems and processes to mitigate risk by increased IHS leadership awareness and input for organizational change and improvement. The IHS aims to fully implement processes to monitor and validate the effectiveness and sustainability of corrective measures. The IHS actions in the 2024 Agency Work Plan will continue to develop and demonstrate sustainable improvements through clearly defined monitoring functions. Agency actions to address priority areas included in the 2024 Agency Work Plan will be led by workgroups. Each workgroup is responsible for identifying the problem and its root cause, developing an action plan to address the problem that includes identifying resources needed, identifying measures to show improvement and impact, and monitoring efforts over time for sustained progress.
Communications about the 2024 Agency Work Plan will include progress, barriers encountered, resources needed, next steps, specific timelines, and accomplishments. IHS leadership will track progress for each activity and look for sustained progress over time. Results of the work will be made public for our partners’ awareness. The goal is to complete the actions in the 2024 Agency Work Plan by December 31, 2024.
