Evaluation and Measurement of Interprofessional Geriatric Programs
Paul Gould, LCSW, PhD
Binghamton University
State University of New York
Kristina Hash, LICSW, PhD
West Virginia University
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY
EVALUATION?
Program Evaluation
 The process of systematically applying
research methods to assess program:
design
implementation
improvement
outcomes
Program Evaluation
 Needs Assessment: The process of
systematically applying research methods to
assess needs, gaps, or areas for
improvement
EXAMPLES OF EVALUATION
INTER-PROFESSIONAL GERIATRIC
PROGRAMS
EXAMPLE #1
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
Example 1: West Virginia University
Gerontology Practitioner Certificate
Needs Assessment and Program
Development
K. Hash, J. Englehardt, &
Amazing Work Group
Funded by: WV Partnership for Elder Living
Example 1: West Virginia University
Objectives:
1.Evaluate the aging education needs of social
workers and related professionals (with associate
degrees and higher) in the state
2.Develop a gerontology practitioner certificate
and curriculum
3.Develop best practices for recruiting and
retaining professionals in the field
Example 1: West Virginia University
Objectives:
1.Evaluate the aging education needs of social
workers and related professionals (with associate
degrees and higher) in the state
2.Develop a gerontology practitioner certificate
and curriculum
3.Develop best practices for recruiting and
retaining professionals in the field
Example 1: West Virginia University
Online Survey, N= 391
Training Needs
•77% interested in enrolling in a CEU-based
certificate
•Training needed: cognitive changes/dementia;
end of life; legal issues; HC and aging policy
•Great interest in online training
Example 1: West Virginia University
“A curriculum is very much needed for our
workers to understand the population that we are
dealing with and the need is urgent.”
“It is very evident that WV NEEDS to offer this
certificate.”
Example 1: West Virginia University
Recruitment and Retention
What led them to the field?
Job opportunity & Personal Experience
What will keep them in the field?
Career growth, Increased Salary & Benefits,
Leadership Opportunities
Love the Field and Population
Example 1: West Virginia University
“No motivation is needed. I love the population,
and I intend to continue working with them,
regardless of pay-rate or continuing education”
“I love what I do and just want to keep doing it.”
Example 1: West Virginia University
Outcomes of Needs Assessment
1. Development of CEU-based certificate
2. Needs-identified curriculum
3. Partnerships with other organizations
offering trainings
4. Development of online trainings
5. Recruitment and retention ideas shared
Certificate Launching in February 2012!
EXAMPLE #2
BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
Geriatric Consultation Clinic
Shawn Berkowitz, MD, CMD
Paul R. Gould, LCSW, PhD
Youjung Lee, PhD – Evaluator
Suk-Young Kang, PhD – Evaluator
Supported with funding from the John A. Hartford Foundation
Binghamton University HPPAE
Geriatric Consultation Clinic
• Interprofessional
Learning Experience
• Part of the rotational
model for HPPAE
• MSW students
• Conduct a 2-part
Comprehensive
Geriatric Assessment
Home Visit
2. Clinic Visit
1.
• Team Structure:
collaborate with
• Clinical Social Worker
Medical Students from
• Geriatrician
Upstate Medical
• Students from both
University
disciplines
• Family
Geriatric Consultation Clinic
Student Learning Evaluation
Evaluation Methods
•
•
A mixed-method using a
triangulation design-multilevel
model with concurrent data
collection and analyses was
employed for the evaluation of
the project.
Data analysis for the focus
group was conducted in three
steps: (1) open coding, (2)
axial coding, and (3) selective
coding (Strauss, 1987).
Tools
•
Post-Experience Focus
Groups with
interprofessional team
members
•
Index of Interprofessional
Collaboration (IIC)
(Bronstein, 2002)
Geriatric Consultation Clinic
Patient Outcomes Evaluation
Evaluation Methods
• Quantitative comparative
analysis:
• Baseline at time of
consult
• 8-12 weeks after
consult
• 6 months after consult
Data Collected
•
Mini-Mental State Exam
(MMSE)
•
Zarit Caregiver Burden
Scale
•
Understanding of
Medication Usage & Side
Effects
•
FS-8 Health Survey
Binghamton University
Community Enhancement Initiative in Aging Preparedness
Purpose
•
Binghamton University’s
HPPAE in place for 5 years
•
Project placed HPPAE
Fellows in non-MSW agencies
•
Assess impact of program
upon participating
organizations and overall
community
Methods
• Individual
interviews with
agency
administration
• Focus group with
task supervisors
EXAMPLE #3
UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
Overview: Geriatric Evaluation
& Self-Management (GEMS) Project
 Tested effectiveness of:
 Interdisciplinary geriatric home-based assessment
 Self-management support services
 Target population:
 Community dwelling older adults with 1+ chronic
illnesses
 Providers:
 Interdisciplinary teams of social workers and physical therapists
(students and professionals) collaborating with PCPs
EXAMPLE #4
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Center for Aging and Disability Education
and Research
CADER provides comprehensive, validated, skill-based
online training programs to ensure that workers have the
knowledge and skills needed to meet the challenges in a
rapidly changing health and social services landscape.
Demonstrating that learners have mastered the
competencies needed for effective practice is a key
objective of our program. Competence requires
professional judgment and critical thinking to translate
knowledge, skills, and values into effective practice
behaviors.
Evaluation Tools
1. Pre and Post Competency Self-Assessment of
Individual Courses
 Participants complete pre- & post-test using the approximately 20-item
instrument that measures the respondent’s perceptions of their skill
level on a scale of 0 to 4 (0=not skilled at all; 4=expert skill)
2. Course Evaluation
 This evaluation includes questions about the effectiveness of the online
course, including whether course objectives were clearly described and
met, the quality and applicability of the course, whether the course
expanded learner knowledge and understanding of the topic area, and
whether the training program will help them to apply practice skills in the
topic area.
Evaluation Tools
1. Program

Included in the evaluation are questions related to the training
program from both the perspective of the individual learner and
in relationship to their organization:
1.
Individual learner: these include questions related to the
expansion of knowledge, development of new skills, and
the ability to do a better job as a result of the training
program.
2.
3.
Supervisor expectations, as well as organizational support
are also included.
In order to assess the degree to which new learning is
maintained, evaluation is repeated at 3 months following
completion of the program
EXAMPLE #5
FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY
IPE & SAGE Programs
The School of Social Work, College of Nursing, and
College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University
developed an interprofessional curriculum to bring social
work, nursing, and medical students together for
collaborative practice-based learning. This
interprofessional curriculum included two components:
(a) the Interprofessional Education (IPE) program, and
(b) the Senior Aging and Geriatrics Educator (SAGE)
Mentoring program.
IPE & SAGE Programs
(a) Pretest/posttest evaluation (IPE Session 1)
(b) (b) Teamwork IQ Quiz
(c) (c) reflective journaling (after the IPE & SAGE
Mentoring programs)
(d) (d) follow-up assignments (after the IPE & SAGE
Mentoring programs)
(e) (e) surveys before and after the IPE and SAGE
Mentoring programs to measure the effectiveness of the
programs and reinforce learning from these
experiences.
HPPAE Model is Competency Based
Gero Social Work Competencies
 Developed by social workers and aging
experts nationally
 Field tested at demonstration sites
 Aligned with the 2008 CSWE Education and
Accreditation Standards (EPAS)
Gero Social Work Competencies

Five Domains of practice
 Values, Ethics & Theoretical Perspectives
 will be used as example to connect to EPAS
 Assessment
 Intervention
 Aging Services, Programs & Policies
 Leadership in Practice (new domain recently added)

Each domain has ten competencies (50 total)
 Gero SW Competencies considered Practice Behaviors
under new EPAS
Benefits of Geriatric Social Work
Competencies (Practice Behaviors)
 Addresses practice at BOTH micro and macro
levels
 Direct practice
 Policy
 Research
 Advocacy
 Recognizes social workers demonstrating
leadership in aging need to be proficient in both
micro and macro levels
BRAINSTORMING AND
RESOURCE- SHARING
Participant Discussion
 Describe the current or potential Inter-
professional Geriatric Programs at your
institution
 How are you currently or what plans do you
have to evaluate the program(s)?
 What successes and barriers have you faced
in this evaluation or its planning?
Contact Information
Paul Gould, LCSW, PhD
pgould@binghamton.edu
Kris Hash, LICSW, PhD
kmhash@mail.wvu.edu