The Hybrid MPH Class of 2021 poses for a group photo during their orientation in summer 2019.
Amidst the Pandemic: Dartmouth MPH Practicums Promote Crucial Change in Public Health
The Class of 2021 in The Dartmouth Institute’s online/on-campus hybrid MPH program represents an exceptional group of healthcare leaders. They rose above the challenges of working through a global pandemic, while balancing full-time jobs and pursuing their degree, to successfully complete their field internships (Applied Practice Experience) for the program. Below, students share the impact their work has made on their professional goals and their ambitions for improving health and healthcare in their communities.
Development of Statewide Cost Growth and Quality Benchmarks, and Primary Care Spending Targets in Connecticut
Improving access to care is a key focus in Jason Prignoli’s applied practice experience. Prignoli worked in the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) in Connecticut in support of a state executive order put forth to promote equal access to high quality primary care while controlling costs.
As part of his work, Prignoli created the testimony that OHS broadcasted on television to help advance the legislation. He also edited a version of the bill that circulated through the state's House of Representatives and helped to provide a public response to address the concerns received from insurers, healthcare organizations, and other stakeholders about the bill. Additionally, using state federally qualified health center data, he co-developed a method for tracking uninsured and undocumented individual healthcare expenditures for the state which can be incorporated into a cost benchmarking framework.
Through his work, Prignoli connected with stakeholders at both the state and federal level that gave him new insights into how policy and industry interact to impact how healthcare is delivered, financed, and organized.
"Dartmouth's hybrid MPH program and ultimately my practicum provided me exposure to sides of our country’s healthcare system that I wouldn’t have necessarily have had access to otherwise,” says Prignoli, whose background is in healthcare venture capital and strategy consulting.
Prignoli says he looks forward to applying the skills and experience he gained to his current position as chief of staff for a health technology startup.
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