scope:

The 2nd edition of this APHA best seller acquaints readers with the broad field of community health planning. Health planners need to blend the objective with the normative, planning data with politics, and this book attempts to present both kinds of information. The major functions of planning are addressed, such as a system design and needs, performance and quality assessment. Practicing planners will find this text useful, as well as students who are considering the field. Also, hospital administrators, community leaders, and planning board members will find this book helps them understand what this process involves. Chapters include planning doctrine, designing community systems, assessment of community needs, measuring health system performance, monitoring quality and appropriateness, and much more.