This paper describes the successful implementation of Measurement-Based Care (MBC) within a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for children and adolescents. Measurement-based care (MBC), the practice of using patient-reported measures routinely to inform decision-making, is associated with improved clinical outcomes for behavioral health…

Context: Musculoskeletal palpation is taught in our athletic training programs as part of the injury evaluation process. However, as palpation skills are taught, the focus is oftentimes on accuracy of surface-anatomy landmarks instead of the ability to discriminate qualitative information such as tissue tone, spasm, or pain response from the soft…

Background: Although pediatric healthcare organizations have widely implemented the philosophy of family-centered care (FCC), evaluators and health professionals have not explored how to preserve the philosophy of FCC in evaluation processes. Purpose: To illustrate how fourth generation evaluation, in theory, could facilitate collaboration between…

Learning to select optimal behavior in new and uncertain situations is a crucial aspect of living and requires the ability to quickly associate stimuli with actions that lead to rewarding outcomes. Mathematical models of reinforcement-based learning to select rewarding actions distinguish between (1) the formation of stimulus-action-reward…

With reference to a questionnaire aimed at assessing the performance of Italian nursing homes on the basis of the health conditions of their patients, we investigate two relevant issues: dimensionality of the latent structure and discriminating power of the items composing the questionnaire. The approach is based on a multidimensional item…

There is a lack of information on the use of multi-source evaluation to assess trainees' interpersonal and communication skills in Oriental settings. This study is conducted to assess the reliability and applicability of assessing the interpersonal and communication skills of family medicine residents by patients, peer residents, nurses, and…

The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to evaluate the quality of a clinical information system (CIS) conceived by nurses and conduct a pilot test with the developed tool as an initial assessment. CIS quality is required for successful implementation in information technology (IT) environments. The study started with the realization that…

Purpose: The purpose of this research is twofold. The first purpose is to utilize a new methodology (Bayesian networks) for aggregating various quality indicators to measure the overall quality of care in nursing homes. The second is to provide new insight into the relationships that exist among various measures of quality and how such measures…

Studied the quality of terminal care in 40 patients in an acute care facility and a chronic care facility. Minimial difficulty was observed in making the transition from active to comfort care. An evaluation method and a model of terminal care emphasizing improved communication and emotional support are proposed. (Author/JAC)

Three commonly used indices of cost-effectiveness are compared for their usefulness to health care professionals. The methods are the cost-benefit ratio, the cost-effectiveness ratio, and the net benefit methods. The net benefit is considered the preferred index of cost-effectiveness. (TJH)

Describes the concepts and methods of economic evaluation of health programs and services. Explains why occupational therapists should participate in outcomes research to demonstrate the value of therapy. (SK)

A model for program evaluation that was originally designed for use by educational evaluators has been found useful for the evaluation of health care delivery programs. The model provides the basis for comprehensive evaluation and could serve as a useful tool for nurse administrators in the ongoing evaluation of programs they supervise. (Author)

The authors' dual-purpose evaluation assesses the effectiveness of formal collaboratives in stimulating organizational changes to improve chronic illness care (the chronic care model or CCM). Intervention and comparison sites are compared before and after introduction of the CCM. Multiple data sources are used to measure the degree of…

Preparation for quality assurance in nursing care must begin in basic nursing education, continue through the graduate and doctoral levels, and be provided for practicing nurses through continuing education activities, according to the author. She discusses the meaning of quality assurance and its integration into the nursing curriculum. (MF)

A description is given of a process which identifies preventable and unpreventable health risks for individuals with the aim of minimizing health risks. (JD)