Week 3 Assignment

Elements

Examples

Decide to conduct needs assessment

Make a conscious decision to complete a needs assessment with a commitment from key decision makers.

The Division of Continuing Medical Education, as part of the requirements for three major grant proposals, conducts a systematic statewide needs assessment of primary care physicians in a variety of settings.

Identify people and develop plan for needs assessment

Identify individuals to be involved in planning and overseeing the needs assessment, and develop a plan.

A steering committee of seven people is appointed, composed of two members of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) staff, two primary care physicians, a medical school faculty member, the assistant dean of the medical school, and an outside consultant. One of the CME staff is appointed as the project manager. The majority of the committee meetings are held online.

Determine context, purpose, and major questions

Determine important contextual factors, and develop purpose and major questions for the needs assessment.

The political and economic climate of the state, current trends in health care, and changes in the delivery of medicine constitute important contextual factors. The purpose for the needs assessment is to fulfill grant requirements for the proposals CME staff are preparing. With this context and purpose in mind the steering committee focuses the needs assessment on the following questions: (1) what are the major issues, needs, problems, and opportunities primary care physicians face in their practice?; and (2) in three years, how might these identified areas change, based on future forecasts and trends?

Determine logistics

Layout the target dates, time lines, budget, and staff.

The steering committee determines that it has to complete the needs assessment in six months. Two members of the CME staff and an outside consultant are named as staff for the project, and $30,000 is allocated for expenses.

Choose respondents

Choose the specific individuals or groups to be the respondents

Two different sample groups are chosen through two sampling procedures: (1) a stratified random sample of all primary care physicians who are employed full-time, with this sample weighted for rural respondents; and (2) a nomination process of key opinion leaders within the primary care physician community.

Select techniques

Determine data collection techniques.

The techniques include using structured questionnaires, focus groups with the key opinion leaders, and a review of pertinent literature and other types of resources (e.g., web sites, trade journals, conference proceedings).

Collect data

Ensure that data are collected in an appropriate and timely manner.

The questionnaire is developed in consultation with the steering committee, with the outside consultant taking the lead, and administered online by staff members from CME. These same staff members, plus four other trained facilitators, conduct the focus groups online with the nominated opinion leaders. CME staff members and the consultant review selected pertinent literature and other resource materials.

Analyze data

Break down collected information to determine: (a) the basic findings in terms of quantitative (numerical) and qualitative descriptions, (b) points of agreement and disagreement, and (c) agreed-upon findings and conclusions concerning identified needs and ideas.

An analysis of the data that includes an in-depth description of each identified major problem, issue, need, and opportunity is completed by staff members from the Division of Continuing Medical Education, in consultation with the consultant. The steering committee then reviews and critiques this analysis. Changes are made based on group consensus, in consultation with the outside consultant.

Sort and prioritize needs

Sort and prioritize each of the identified needs and indicate (a) which needs should be responded to first, second, and so on, and (b) needs for which alternative interventions are more appropriate (e.g., changes in the reward system, installation of needed equipment, changes in organizational structure).

The steering committee puts aside those “need descriptions” that in their judgment call for other interventions. Using a priority rating system followed by group discussions, they arrive at a consensus of what needs should receive priority for each of the three grant proposals.

Communicate results

Distribute the results of the needs assessment to appropriate individuals and groups within and external to the organization.

A full report of the needs assessment process, findings, and conclusions is submitted to the Division of Continuing Education and the dean of the medical school. This report includes how the data are being used in writing the three grants. After the report has been approved by the dean and dean’s council, the director of the Division of Continuing Medical Education, and the CME advisory council, an executive summary of the report is sent to all of the key opinion leaders who took part in the study. In addition, a journalistic report on the results of the needs assessment level is sent to all physicians via e-mail and posted on the CME’s web site.