The overall scope of this program is based on a request by a Health Commissioner at Chicago State to evaluate a program duped ‘Universal Healthcare’ which was rolled out in one clinic in Chicago. This program began as a pilot project within the government to test whether the Universal Health Care is a feasible idea worth trying within the United States. It is upon this background that an evaluation has been commissioned which will run from August 2013 to December 2013.
Evaluation goal
The goal of this evaluation is to determine the overall preparedness of the clinic for the implementation of Universal Health Care and to establish the challenges the program is facing.
Evaluation team
The evaluation team shall consist of program experts from our consortium firm, one medical doctor attached to the clinic, clinic data analyst and, a representative from the government.
Table 1.1 Roles of each evaluation Team member.
Background and Description of the Universal Health Program
Historical background to providing universal health care for American dates back to 1912 during the reign of President Theodore Roosevelt. He attempted to introduce national health insurance during his second attempt as president of United States but failed. In 1945, President Harry Truman also pushed for similar idea however; the American Medical Association rejected the idea as ‘socialized medicine’. In 2009, Obama and his democratic congress reintroduced the same thought, all workers to take health insurance for all its employees. In similar year a health Clinic in Chicago was sponsored to conduct a pilot run. Their target populations were women and children for families earning less than five hundred dollars per month.
Evaluation activities
Conduct survey on staff attitude and job satisfaction levels. Obtain turnover rate before and after initiating the change. Compare patient discharge rate, patient attitude, and equipment capacity before and after introducing the change.
- What are the key evaluation questions?
- What are the overall staff’s attitudes towards the program?
- What are some notable variations in the clinic from the time the program was launched?
- What are the short term outcomes of the project?
- What measures has the clinic put in place to support the project sustainability?
Data collection and analysis methods
Data shall be collected using questionnaires, interviews, observation, and through documents analysis. Issues of ethics shall be addressed; people shall be allowed to answer our questions willingly. Data shall be analyzed by use of SPSS, tables and graphical analysis. Data management flow shall begin from distributing questions, assembly of evidence, analysis and reporting of evidence. The data collected shall be based on the key evaluation questions. Both qualitative and quantitative data shall be collected from the target population including staff who had resigned.
Criteria for judgments
Making of appropriate judgments is one of the cores of any evaluation. For the purpose of this evaluation, we intend to adopt summative and formative evaluation. The criteria for judgment will include how the staff needs are met, working conditions, and adequacy of clinic facilities. The judgments shall centre around project outcome and to test sustainability of the program.
Project indicators
We shall examine the achievement of project goals, objectives and intended outcomes. To what extend are stakeholders satisfied, the adoption of best practice within the program, whether the program has achieved relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, appropriateness test.
Evaluation reports
The audience to this evaluation plan shall incorporate all the stakeholders, the staff, the patients, the government, the congress. The reports shall be distributed to assist in fine tuning the final report. It will also be used to boast stakeholders’ involvement. The final evaluation report will comprise of background of the project, contextual framework, purpose and list of stakeholders. It will also include key evaluation questions, information gathering techniques, data analysis, criteria for judgments, conclusion, evidence and recommendations.