An important
goal of evaluation is to ensure that the desired outcomes
are delivered to the intended beneficiaries and that those
benefits are delivered in a cost-effective manner for the
taxpayer. To support this goal, the evaluation framework
set out in this report has four objectives:
-
Evaluate Program impact.
-
Ensure continued alignment with other BHPr programs.
- Facilitate
Program improvement.
- Continue
to validate Program logic model.
Evaluate
Program Impact
The
most obvious objective of evaluating Title VII, section
747 programs is to measure the impact the programs have
on intended beneficiaries. The extent to which programs
are achieving intended results is important information
for both stakeholders and program managers. Evaluation of
impact supports stakeholders such as the White House, Congress,
and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
in making resource allocation and program design decisions.
Ensure
Continued Alignment With Other BHPr Programs
Title
VII, section 747 programs play a direct or indirect role
in each of BHPr’s strategic goals. However, these programs
are but one component of a complementary set of BHPr programs
that address the Bureau’s goals. Title VII, section 747
programs are focused on building education and training
capacity of institutions providing primary care education
and training. Ongoing measurement of Title VII, section
747 outcomes can help to ensure that the unique and complementary
roles of these programs continue.
Facilitate
Program Improvement
Information
on impact supports program managers in making continuous
improvements to the programs. Ongoing monitoring of outcomes
is essential to determining whether Program activities continue
to result in the desired outcomes and determining whether
changes or improvements are required. The results of this
monitoring will provide information to policymakers so that
they can respond to emerging problems or opportunities.
Continue
to Validate the Program Logic Model
Changing
environmental factors such as changing market forces, changing
demographics, and changes in other Government programs all
have the potential to influence the achievement of outcomes.
Ongoing monitoring of the outcomes will enable policymakers
to continue to validate the logic model as environmental
factors change.
The
evaluation of Title VII, section 747 programs has been challenging
for two major reasons. First, the ability to define longitudinal
outcome measures for the programs is complicated by the
changing nature of the legislative agenda (see section entitled
Overview of Title VII, Section 747 Programs, page
1).
Second,
the myriad related programs funded by Title VII, section
747 and Title VIII under HRSA has created some blurring
of programs and their goals, making it difficult to ascertain
the discrete contributions of individual programs to specific
outcomes (see section entitled Historical and Recent
Evaluations of Title VII, Section 747 Programs by OMB,
page 8).
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