Description
This course provides students with an overview and application of principles and methods for: 1) Assessing safety and quality in health care environments; and 2) Systematically evaluating the processes and outcomes of interventions to manage safety and quality in these environments. Topics include the conceptualization, planning, and ex-ante or before the event analysis of evaluation studies; principles to assure integrity of evaluation research studies; assessment of processes and measurement of outcomes; evaluation methodologies (randomized field experiments; quasi-experimental designs; survey methods; performance measurement; process analysis; benchmarking; hierarchical and integrated methods. Included also are specific methods to assess effects and efficiency (cost-benefit, cost-efficiency). The course concludes with specialized communication methods, including scorecards and benchmark reports.
Prerequisites: Admission to the DNP program