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Table 2 Evaluation overview

From: Embedding an economist in regional and rural health services to add value and reduce waste by improving local-level decision-making: protocol for the ‘embedded Economist’ program and evaluation

TOOL

STAGE OF INTERVENTION

DATA SOURCE & COLLECTION

WHO PARTICIPATES

EXPECTED No. OF PARTICIPANTS

TIME COMMITMENT

INFORMATION NEEDED & JUSTIFICATION

Baseline Survey* (detail below table)

PRE & DURING

Online anonymous survey implemented via the ComPrac by the Social Scientist

Current or emerging executives or managers from all sites who enrol in the CompPrac and make decisions to improve the value of the programs, services, initiatives or technology for which they are responsible

80–120 across all sites

15 min

Baseline measure of individual values and confidence and organisational support and barriers around economic evaluation; as well as expectations about the embedded Economist online learning support.

This survey will inform the learning support and the remaining embedded components of the program

Non-participant observations

PRE & DURING

Observation notes collected by Social Scientist

Economists and staff who planned or participated in the embedded Economist component of the intervention

Maximum 50 per site

PRE:

5 h maximum:

3 × 1 h scoping meetings

2 × 1 h co-production meeting

DURING:

a maximum of two hours per interaction for no more than four (4) meetings (minimum commitment 2 h maximum commitment 8 h)

Naturally occurring in situ group data about the process of the intervention (what was done by whom?), the relational aspects (how did the participants interact with one another?) and broader organisational context (i.e. what actions occurred and what decisions were taken in this environment) Provides a feel for organisational environments and the roles of actors within them that cannot be achieved through an interview situation.

Documentary analysis

PRE, DURING & POST

PRE:

Meeting agendas and minutes

Emails and telephone notes

Draft operational plan

Site decision making frameworks, policies, guides, tools, documentation developed by economist and sites including evidence of application

DURING: Meeting notes, agendas, minutes, and associated documentation developed by the economist and sites including economic evaluations drafted, evidence of application and practice change from meeting agendas, minutes and site generated documentation will be collected

POST: During the semi-structured interviews, participants will be asked to provide any documentation that demonstrate a change in processes and work practices as a result of the embedded Economist Project. Documentation may include meeting notes, agendas, minutes, policies, tools and guidelines

Site Leads and Economists and staff who planned or participated in the embedded Economist intervention will be asked to provide documents

Maximum 10 per site

2 h maximum (sourcing and providing documents)

Documentary evidence of how each stage of the intervention was formally enacted by the site and does this accord with what was observed and reported? Existing decision-making frameworks will also be analysed to ascertain the use of economic evaluation.

Documentary analysis provides additional insights about the practices and around decision making and any practice outcomes from the intervention, thereby supporting any reported changes from interview data with tangible evidence

Semi-structured interviews (face-to-face or telephone)

PRE, DURING & POST

Interview transcripts and recordings

Economists and staff who planned or participated in the program

PRE:

5 staff

2 economists

DURING:

25 staff

2 economists

POST:

5 staff

2 economists

maximum 1 h per interview

(N.B staff participants may be interviewed once during each phase of the intervention & economists may be interviewed up to 6 times during each phase)

Face to face anonymous inquiry providing in-depth descriptions and interpretations that are constructed and separated from the time (and place) in which the events take place about the process, context and relational aspects of each stage of the embedded component of intervention, including planning, how the intervention was enacted and the outcomes and impact in the post phase; as well as the learning support components at the time of the semi-structured interview.

Participants will have the opportunity to review their transcript prior to data analysis.

Field diary

PRE, DURING & POST

Field diary from economists & staff

Economists and staff who planned or participated in the program

PRE:

Lead economist

DURING:

Lead and embedded Economist

25 staff

Staff: Minimum commitment 15 min per week ×  12 weeks maximum commitment 1 h per week ×  12 weeks)

Economist: Minimum commitment 15 min per week ×  15 weeks)

Reflections on how participants perceived and experienced each phase of the intervention. What did they do (process)? Who did they interact with (relational)? What broader organisational factors impacted each phase?

Education survey ** (DETAIL BELOW TABLE)

POST Completion of the university course

Online anonymous survey

 

Maximum of 60 across all sites

 

How are participants applying the knowledge gained from the university course in practice? Do they feel supported by their leadership to use evidence from economic evaluations? How are the learning supports contributing to practice change? i.e. have they increased capacity?