Evaluation and Measurement
The UMass Medical School's Center for Health Policy and Research has a dedicated evaluation and measurement team that has deep expertise in program evaluation and quality measurement including:
- Conducting evaluations of new and established programs,
- Measuring access to care, quality, and patient experience, and
- Designing and testing tools to collect data.
Evaluation and measurement capabilities and expertise include:
Example Projects
Recovery Learning Center Evaluation
This project , recently completed, explored the development and implementation of the Recovery Learning Center (RLC) model in three areas of Massachusetts. The evaluation assessed whether the three RLCs were achieving the goals of improving access to regional peer support and fostering ties to the community for the people with mental illness.
Clinical Topic Review 2008
This project, currently underway, assesses rates of behavioral health screenings occurring at paid well-child visits in fiscal year 2007 for children enrolled in the MassHealth Primary Care Clinician Plan and Managed Care Organizations.
Community Case Management Evaluation
The Community Case Management program is a case management program for severely disabled children. The Community Case Management evaluation examines the processes and outcomes of planning, implementing, and operating a program to improve the quality of care for severely disabled children.
MassHealth Tobacco Cessation Benefit Evaluation
The MassHealth Tobacco Cessation Benefit was mandated in the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law of April 2006, and requires that MassHealth make tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy and counseling services available for all MassHealth members and evaluate tobacco cessation outcomes. The evaluation, using a survey sample of MassHealth members who have used the benefit as well as a comparison group, is assessing the effectiveness of the benefit in helping MassHealth members quit smoking permanently.
Stroke Collaborative Reaching for Excellence (SCORE) Evaluation
The SCORE evaluation, nearing completion, assesses hospitals’ experience participating in SCORE. The SCORE program employs a tiered approach to hospital-based quality improvement for the identification and treatment of patients at risk for stroke or with a stroke occurrence.