Recorded presentation

Donald W. Parker, MSHA¹, Christine A. Elnitsky, PhD, RN², and Clare Houseman, PhD, RN, CS¹. (1) College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, 129 Spong Hall, Norfolk, VA 23529, 757-672-5245, dwpdoc@aol.com, (2) Department of Veterans Affairs, Health Services Research and Development, 7400 Gatewood Court, Alexandria, VA 22307

This presentation will describe the process of consulting with administrators in the design of a program evaluation. Our unique approach combines public administration and community health concepts and strategies to the evaluation planning process. Public program evaluation concepts will be discussed and applied to a management policy program. Strategies for use in community settings will be discussed and applied to the evaluation planning process, again using the management policy program example. Interpersonal communication skills, entree' into the community, stakeholder participation and logic model approaches are included. In the hypothetical management policy program example, mixed quantitative and qualitative information collection methods are employed. Analysis of the information collected indicated three program components for potential evaluation. Program components include collaboration with others, provision of policies, and provision of training on the policies. Each of the program components is hypothesized to be related to specific short-term effects. Short-term effects identified in our example include increased coordination of services; increased knowledge and use of policies and procedures; increased participation in policy development; improved efficiency and effectiveness of administration; initiation of graduate student internships; and enhanced recruitment of administrators to the policy program office. Expected long-term effects include improved quality of health care services; improved efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of health care services; and improved health outcomes of the population. The use of evaluation methods and community strategies to plan a scientific evaluation of community programs is essential. Attention to stakeholders’ perspectives and preferences is essential to evaluating the program.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to

• Discuss strategies or approaches used by the consultant in assisting the program manager to design evaluation of a program.
• Identify 3 potential barriers to successful design of evaluation.
• Identify 3 potential facilitators to success of designing a program evaluation.

Keywords: Public Health Administration, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation