Online Program

284693
A monitoring and evaluation system in support of the together on diabetes™ effort to improve health outcomes for heavily affected populations in the US


Monday, November 4, 2013 : 1:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Jerry A. Schultz, PhD, KU Work Group for Community Health and Development, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Patricia Doykos, PhD, Together on Diabetes, Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, New York, NY
Stephen Fawcett, PhD, KU Work Group for Community Health and Development, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Vicki Collie-Akers, PhD, Work Group for Community Health and Development, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Jomella Thompson, Ph.D., Applied Behavioral Science, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
The diabetes epidemic affects 26 million Americans. To improve health outcomes associated with diabetes requires development of innovative approaches, reaching vulnerable groups, and improving population-level outcomes. Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's Together on Diabetes project supports diabetes self-management, improved access to services and quality of care, community-based supportive services and community mobilization. Monitoring and evaluation of the program sets the occasion for co-learning, accountability, and continuous improvement with the initiative and the grantees. Specific purposes of the evaluation include to: a) understand what is being accomplished, b) improve performance, and c) assess the impacts of the initiative. This requires engaging grantees in development of a logic model and key evaluation questions, systematically documenting the program and the impact of prevention efforts, and utilizing data for program improvement and policy decision making. The initiative: 1. developed an evaluation plan and online documentation support system; 2) fully implemented participatory evaluation with grantees; and 4) conducted systematic reflection with foundation staff and summative evaluation for the overall initiative. The monitoring and evaluation system's critical features were a collaboratively built logic model and subsequent evaluation questions, easy and ready access to results; and procedures for using the results for celebration and improvement. Innovation, reach and impact in improving diabetes health outcomes that Together on Diabetes seeks drives the need for participatory evaluation methods, a monitoring and documentations system, mechanisms for rapid cycle quality feedback loops and enhanced sensemaking. This will lead to more effective interventions that reduce inequity and increase impact.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Describe the purpose of the evaluation of the Together on Diabetes national initiative grantee projects and the foundation-wide initiative. Describe the components of the monitoring and evaluation system used to support the evaluation of the initiative. Describe the initial outcomes of Together on Diabetes initiatives.

Keyword(s): Diabetes, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Kansas, Co-Director of the KU Work Group for Community Health and Development, WHO Collaborating Centre, and Project Director for the evaluation of the Together on Diabetes national initiative.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.