Program/policy evaluation is a valuable tool that can help strengthen the quality of programs/policies and improve outcomes for the populations they serve
Program/policy evaluation is a valuable tool that can help strengthen the quality
Assessing a Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation
Program/policy evaluation is a valuable tool that can help strengthen the quality of programs/policies and improve outcomes for the populations they serve. Program/policy evaluation answers basic questions about program/policy effectiveness. It involves collecting and analyzing information about program/policy activities, characteristics, and outcomes. This information can be used to ultimately improve program services or policy initiatives.
Nurses can play a very important role assessing program/policy evaluation for the same reasons that they can be so important to program/policy design. Nurses bring expertise and patient advocacy that can add significant insight and impact. In this Assignment, you will practice applying this expertise and insight by selecting an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation and reflecting on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program/policy.
To Prepare:
- Review the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template provided in the Resources.
- Select an existing healthcare program or policy evaluation or choose one of interest to you and get approval to use it from your Instructor.
- Review the healthcare program or policy evaluation and reflect on the criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the program or policy described.
The Assignment: (2–3 pages)
Based on the program or policy evaluation you selected, complete the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template. Be sure to address the following:
- Describe the healthcare program or policy outcomes.
- How was the success of the program or policy measured?
- How many people were reached by the program or policy selected?
- How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?
- At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted?
- What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?
- What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?
- What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples.
- Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?
- Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?
- Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after 1 year of implementation.
Rubric Detail
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | |||
| Program/Policy Evaluation Based on the program or policy evaluation you seelcted, complete the Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis Template. Be sure to address the following: · Describe the healthcare program or policy outcomes. | 32 (32%) – 35 (35%) Response clearly and accurately describes in detail the healthcare program or policy outcomes. Response accurately and thoroughly explains in detail how the success of the program or policy was measured. Response clearly and accurately describes in detail how many people were reached by the program or policy and fully describes the impact of the program or policy. Response clearly and accurately indicates the point at which time the program or policy evaluation was conducted. | 28 (28%) – 31 (31%) Response accurately describes the healthcare program or policy outcomes. Response accurately explains how the success of the program or policy was measured. Response accurately describes how many people were reached by the program or policy and accurately describes the impact of the program or policy. Response accurately indicates the point at which time the program or policy evaluation was conducted. | 25 (25%) – 27 (27%) Description of the healthcare program or policy outcomes is inaccurate or incomplete. Explanation of how the success of the program or policy was measured is inaccurate or incomplete. Description of how many people were reached by the program or policy and the impact is vague or inaccurate. Response vaguely describes the point at which the program or policy evaluation was conducted. | 0 (0%) – 24 (24%) Description of the healthcare program or policy outcomes is inaccurate and incomplete, or is missing. Explanation of how the success of the program or policy was measured is inaccurate and incomplete, or is missing. Description of how many people were reached by the program or policy and the associated impacts is vague and inaccurate, or is missing. Response of the point at which time the program or policy was conducted is missing. | ||
| Reporting of Program/Policy Evaluations · What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation? | 45 (45%) – 50 (50%) Response clearly and accurately identifies the data used to conduct the program or policy evaluation. Response clearly and thoroughly explains in detail specific information on outcomes and unintended consequences identified through the program or policy evaluation. Response clearly and accurately explains in detail the stakeholders involved in the program or policy evaluation. Response clearly and accurately explains in detail who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation. Response includes a thorough and accurate explanation of whether the program met the original intent and outcomes, including an accurate and detailed explanation of the reasons supporting why or why not. Response includes a thorough and accurate explanation of whether the program should be implemented, including an accurate and detailed explanation of the reasons supporting why or why not. | 40 (40%) – 44 (44%) Response accurately identifies the data used to conduct the program or policy evaluation. Response explains in detail specific information on outcomes and unintended consequences identified through the program or policy evaluation. Response explains in detail the stakeholders involved in the program or policy evaluation. Response explains who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation. Response includes an accurate explanation of whether the program met the original intent and outcomes, including an accurate explanation of the reasons supporting why or why not. Response includes an accurate explanation of whether the program should be implemented, including an accurate explanation of the reasons supporting why or why not. | 35 (35%) – 39 (39%) Response vaguely or inaccurately identifies the data used to conduct the program or policy evaluation. Explanation of specific information on outcomes and unintended consequences identified through the program or policy evaluation is vague or incomplete. Explanation of the stakeholders involved in the program or policy evaluation is vague or inaccurate. Explanation of who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation is vague or inaccurate. Explanation of whether the program/policy met the original intent and outcomes and the reasons why or why not is incomplete or inaccurate. Explanation of whether the program or policy should be implemented, and the reasons why or why not, is incomplete or inaccurate. | 0 (0%) – 34 (34%) Identification of the data used to conduct the program or policy evaluation is vague and inaccurate, or is missing. Explanation of specific information on outcomes and unitended consequences identified through the program or policy evaluation is vague and incomplete, or is missing. Explanation of the stakeholders involved in the program or policy evaluation is vague and inaccurate, or is missing. Explanation of who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation is vague and inaccurate, or is missing. Explanation of whether the program or policy met the original intent and outcomes and the reasons why or why not is incomplete and inaccurate, or is missing. Explanation of whether the program or policy should be implemented, and the reasons why or why not, is incomplete and inaccurate, or is missing. | ||
| Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. | 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. | 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. | 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%- 79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. | 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. | ||
| Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation | 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. | 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Contains a few (1-2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. | 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Contains several (3-4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. | 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. | ||
| Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. | 5 (5%) – 5 (5%) Uses correct APA format with no errors. | 4 (4%) – 4 (4%) Contains a few (1-2) APA format errors. | 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%) Contains several (3-4) APA format errors. | 0 (0%) – 3 (3%) Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. | ||
| Total Points: 100 | ||||||
Expert Answer and Explanation
Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis
| Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation | The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health protection Act (NMHPA). |
| Description | According to the policy, maternity coverage plans should include a mandatory pay of maternity fee for a 48-hour period from the time the child is born. |
| How was the success of the program or policy measured?
| To determine the success of the program, the data pertaining to the number of women who received maternal services covered under the insurance plans, during the 48-hours following birth, was collected from hospitals, and clinical facilities. By reviewing the data on the number of the new mothers who benefitted from the program, the team responsible for policy evaluation managed to come up with data which showed the success of the policy. This data purely constitutes the information which the evaluation team acquired from the hospitals which did accept the plan-based payments (Cms.gov, 2020). |
| How many people were reached by the program or policy selected? How much of an impact was realized with the program or policy selected?
| The selected policy had an impact on a more than 50 million American women. This group consisted of the new mothers, aged 18 and 48 years who paid through insurance plans. Since the enactment of the act in 1995, it has had positive impact in terms of improving the health or the mothers and newborns, and helping reduce the number of cases of adverse clinical events. It has led to the reduction of the rates of re-hospitalization among new mothers. It has equally helped empower mothers because the 48-hours these mothers spend in the hospital include a time for educating them about baby care. Consequently, the law has helped improve the wellbeing of the newborn babies (Cms.gov, 2020). |
| What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation?
| The data used to evaluate the success of the program constituted the responses which the beneficiaries of the new laws provided. These beneficiaries consisted of mothers who had benefitted from the insurance scheme in which they received insurance coverage for a 48-hour maternal care following birth. By directly getting information from this population, it was possible to get to know their experience, and outcomes associated with the NHMPA (Cms.gov, 2020). The providers were also interviewed about the effectiveness of the law, and they admitted that the law was effective in terms of helping meet the required objectives. |
| What specific information on unintended consequences were identified? | The information on unintended consequences identified included the occupation accidents which result to the pregnancy-based complications leading to death. Deaths as a result of the use of non-safe abortion (Mumtaz, Bahk, Khang, 2019). The use of substances such as alcohol which cause a pregnant mother to miscarry and abort. The details pertaining to the unintended consequences identified included the miscarriages, and the death of the newborns within the 48-hour period after birth. The death of the mother was also part of this information. |
| What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation? Be specific and provide examples. | Various stakeholders groups were identified during the assessment of the policy. These groups consisted of the nurses and physicians working with mothers, and working in maternal units. Women who previously gave birth were also identified for evaluation. The beneficiaries of the results would be pregnant women with insurance plans who are about to give birth. Another group is infants, and they will benefit by receiving the necessary care which can help improve their health. |
| Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not? | The policy has brought significant benefits especially when it comes to helping promote the health of the mothers and their newborns. The policy has led to the decline in the number of the maternal and infants deaths. It also resulted to the decline in the rates of re-hospitalization, and adverse patient events which were more common prior to the enactment of the act. |
| Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not? | I would recommend the implementation of the policy at my workplace. This is because on the history, it has brought significant benefits in terms of lowering the risk of adverse events for the babies and new mothers (Hwang & Park, 2019). |
| Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after one year of implementation. | As a nurse, I may participate in the evaluation of the policy by collecting data regarding the adverse events such as the deaths of the infants linked to the non-payment of the medical fees. The second way I can be involved is talking to mothers to get to understand their concerns and feelings about the maternal care programs (Persson, 2017). |
| General Notes/Comments | The use of the policy can help manage the challenges linked to managing the health of the mothers and infants. |
References
Cms.gov. (2020).The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health protection Act. https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/Other-Insurance-Protections/nmhpa_factsheet.
Hwang, W. J., & Park, Y. M. (2019). Factors Influencing the Accessibility of Maternal Health Service in Cambodia. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(16), 2909. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162909.
Mumtaz, S., Bahk, J, Khang, Y.H. (2019). Current status and determinants of maternal healthcare utilization in Afghanistan: Analysis from Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey 2015. PLoS ONE 14(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217827.
Persson, L.Å. (2017). Bridging the quality chasm in maternal, newborn, and child healthcare in low- and middle-income countries. PLoS Med, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002465.
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Why is Program Evaluation Important?
Program evaluation is the systematic process of assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of a program or intervention. It involves collecting and analyzing data to determine whether a program is achieving its intended outcomes and objectives. Program evaluation is crucial for organizations and individuals involved in designing and implementing programs as it helps them to make informed decisions, improve the quality of services and products, and increase accountability.
In this article, we will discuss why program evaluation is important and how it can benefit organizations and individuals.
Importance of Program Evaluation
1. Determine Program Effectiveness
Program evaluation helps organizations to determine whether a program is effective in achieving its intended goals and objectives. It provides valuable insights into how well the program is functioning and identifies areas that require improvement. By understanding what works and what doesn’t work, organizations can refine their programs to ensure that they are making the most significant impact.
2. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses
Program evaluation helps organizations to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their programs. It provides a comprehensive assessment of the program, including its design, implementation, and outcomes. By identifying the strengths, organizations can build on what is working well, and by addressing weaknesses, they can improve the overall effectiveness of the program.
3. Increase Accountability
Program evaluation promotes accountability among organizations and individuals involved in program design and implementation. It ensures that the resources invested in the program are used efficiently and effectively, and that the program is making a positive impact on the intended population.
4. Improve Decision Making
Program evaluation provides valuable data and insights that can inform decision-making. It helps organizations to make informed decisions about how to allocate resources, prioritize activities, and make changes to the program to improve its effectiveness.
5. Foster Continuous Improvement
Program evaluation helps organizations to foster continuous improvement by providing ongoing feedback on program performance. It enables organizations to make data-driven decisions and to continually refine their programs to ensure that they are achieving their intended outcomes.
Benefits of Program Evaluation
1. Enhanced Program Performance
Program evaluation helps organizations to enhance the performance of their programs. By identifying areas that require improvement, organizations can make changes to the program to ensure that it is functioning at its best. This can lead to increased efficiency and effectiveness, and ultimately, improved outcomes.
2. Increased Stakeholder Satisfaction
Program evaluation can increase stakeholder satisfaction by ensuring that the program is meeting the needs of its intended population. By understanding the needs and preferences of stakeholders, organizations can make changes to the program to better meet their needs.
3. Improved Resource Allocation
Program evaluation helps organizations to allocate resources more efficiently and effectively. By understanding what works and what doesn’t work, organizations can allocate resources to areas that are making the most significant impact.
4. Increased Funding Opportunities
Program evaluation can increase funding opportunities for organizations. By demonstrating the effectiveness and impact of their programs, organizations can attract funding from a range of sources, including government agencies, foundations, and philanthropic organizations.
5. Improved Organizational Learning
Program evaluation can improve organizational learning by providing insights into what works and what doesn’t work. By sharing knowledge and best practices, organizations can continually improve their programs and enhance their overall performance.
Conclusion
Program evaluation is a crucial process for organizations and individuals involved in program design and implementation. It provides valuable insights into program effectiveness, identifies strengths and weaknesses, promotes accountability, improves decision making, and fosters continuous improvement. By investing in program evaluation, organizations can enhance program performance, increase stakeholder satisfaction, improve resource allocation, increase funding opportunities, and improve organizational learning.
How to evaluate a program effectiveness
There are several steps involved in evaluating the effectiveness of a program:
- Define the program’s goals and objectives: Before evaluating a program, it’s important to clearly define what the program is intended to achieve.
- Determine appropriate measures: Once the goals and objectives are defined, appropriate measures need to be determined. These measures could be quantitative (e.g., number of participants, changes in behavior, etc.) or qualitative (e.g., participant feedback, stakeholder satisfaction, etc.).
- Collect data: The next step is to collect data using the measures that were determined in step 2. This could involve surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation, or other methods.
- Analyze data: Once the data is collected, it needs to be analyzed to determine the program’s effectiveness. This involves comparing the results to the goals and objectives defined in step 1.
- Report findings: After analyzing the data, the findings need to be reported to stakeholders. This could involve a formal report, presentation, or other method of communication.
- Use findings to improve the program: Finally, the findings can be used to improve the program. If the program was effective, the findings can be used to identify best practices and areas of success. If the program was not effective, the findings can be used to identify areas for improvement and make changes to the program.
Overall, program evaluation is an ongoing process that helps to ensure that programs are meeting their intended goals and objectives, and making a positive impact on stakeholders.
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