You can't improve what you can't measure: outcomes of educational programs

In my previous post, I outlined how we can use therapy education as a growth strategy. I would like to briefly touch upon the importance of measuring educational outcomes. After conducting needs assessments and identifying target customers, how do you ensure that you are designing effective educational strategies, tools, and programs? And how do you consistently improve them over time to reach your goals?

One way to start is by applying Moore's framework for outcomes assessment. This framework consists of seven levels: 1. Participation, 2. Satisfaction, 3. Knowledge, 4. Competence, 5. Performance, 6. Patient health, and 7. Community health. Levels 1 through 4 are typically easy to measure using attendance records, questionnaires, pre- and post-tests, and self-reported results. However, planning outcomes assessments for levels 5 through 7 requires practice-based data, which can be harder to obtain.

To overcome this barrier, it's helpful to begin with a clear understanding of what you're attempting to measure and ensure that all necessary data elements are within reach. By aligning findings from gap analyses with the desired outcomes level, you can ensure that the data sources are realistic to obtain. It's also useful to combine Moore's assessment with the Donabedian Model, which evaluates health services and quality of care by examining structure, process, and outcomes. This allows you to consider the types of measures that are appropriate for each particular Moore's level.

Another key consideration is understanding the data source itself, which can be challenging given the wide variety of classification systems. To simplify this process, you can use the National Quality Forum (NQF) data source model to map measures to data sources. This model is an integral part of the standard measure specification template used by the NQF to define endorsed measures, making it useful when designing programs that require linking performance measures and data sources.

Ultimately, a robust therapy education program for healthcare providers is critical to ensuring that they can provide the best possible care for their patients. Evaluating and measuring the outcomes of these programs is an important step in designing effective and ethical educational programs that promote the betterment of healthcare and foster trusting relationships. Remember: you can't improve what you can't measure.