Evaluating the success of the implementation is an important step in any change introduction. To ensure that a significant reduction of CHF readmissions is successfully achieved, the evaluation process has to be thoroughly planned using industry tools and methods that are particularly suited to the project. This research will utilize surveys, interviews, patient monitoring systems, and the Care Coordination Measurement Tool to assess the outcomes of the implementation process.
The evaluation plan for the project should be developed before implementing the initiative, and necessary improvements might be added along the way. The present evaluation plan consists of the following steps:
- developing the objectives of the project evaluation;
- identifying questions that have to be answered as a result of the evaluation;
- developing a list of strategies to gain the data needed;
- identifying and utilizing evaluation methods to answer the questions posed;
- clarifying the expected results of the evaluation.
The project’s main objective was to reduce CHF readmissions by utilizing home health and post-discharge case managers. The main question of the evaluation process was whether the number of CHF readmissions has decreased and if the strategies utilized had influenced the change. Specific tools and methods are needed to address the questions presented in the evaluation plan. For the project on reducing CHF readmissions, several tools could be used to cover all the areas of the assessment and involve as many stakeholders as possible.
The first and most important aspect to evaluate is the patient’s experience and outcomes. This assessment can be conducted through the combined use of a monitoring system, surveys, and interviews with patients and their families (Smith & Hasan, 2020). These tools and activities are essential for credible evaluation because they provide the data necessary to identify possible complications and to plan interventions. Moreover, they provide researchers with a highly important feedback system to ensure the successful development and implementation of the project (Brahmbhatt & Cowie, 2019). Another important factor is post-discharge case management, which can also be assessed through a combination of tools and methods. Interviews with caregivers have to be included to get feedback and insight from the health professionals involved. Surveys can be conducted to provide data on the type of treatment given to the patient, how it was different from other participants’ treatment, and how it affected the patient’s outcomes. These findings provide a foundation for further analysis and allow for obtaining more detailed and comprehensive reports from both clinicians and patients.
Finally, to evaluate the overall quality of the care provided to patients, the Care Coordination Measurement Tool (CCMT) can be used as one of the case management and assessment methods. The CCMT has proved to be an effective tool for measuring treatment outcomes (Peterson et al., 2019). Since care coordination is a critical element of high-quality care delivery, it is essential to ensure that researchers, care coordinators, and case managers receive credible measurements of its activities.
It can be concluded that evaluating the success of the change implementation is an important process that should be thoroughly planned and discussed with all the participants of the project. It involves several steps, such as clarifying the questions of the evaluation, and the expected outcomes. Tools and measurements that can be used to assess the reduction of CHF readmissions include surveys and interviews with patients, their families, and caregivers. Other tools are patient monitoring systems and the Care Coordination Measurement Tool.
References
Brahmbhatt, D. H., & Cowie, M. R. (2019). Remote management of heart failure: An overview of Telemonitoring technologies. Cardiac Failure Review, 5(2), 86-92. Web.
Peterson, K., Anderson, J., Bourne, D., Charns, M. P., Gorin, S. S., Hynes, D. M., McDonald, K. M., Singer, S. J., & Yano, E. M. (2019). Health care coordination theoretical frameworks: A systematic scoping review to increase their understanding and use in practice.Journal of General Internal Medicine, 34(S1), 90-98. Web.
Smith, J. D., & Hasan, M. (2020). Quantitative approaches for the evaluation of implementation research studies. Psychiatry Research, 283, 112521. Web.