Evaluation and ongoing development of PPEP

Program evaluation

Evaluation is an important component of program planning and helps to determine:

• the process of implementing a program
• the impacts of the program
• how to improve
• the achievements of the program’s objectives

Feedback surveys

Participant feedback is an essential part of evaluating our program. It helps inform our understanding of  participants’ experiences with the program, and their success and barriers in making and maintaining practice improvements.

The PPEP gathers feedback from:

• physician assessments
• office assessments
• medical device reprocessing assessments (POMDRA initiative)

All information captured through the surveys are anonymized before being used for program development and evaluation.

Participant feedback on physician assessments is captured through three different surveys sent at different intervals of the assessment process:

1. The PPEP assessment survey is sent to a physician two weeks following the physician interview with their physician peer assessor. The focus is on the assessment process and experience with the assessor.
2. The PPEP feedback survey is sent to a physician three months after they have been sent their Performance Review and Action Plan (PRAP). The focus is on the physician assessment process and post-assessment follow-up activities.  
3. The PPEP outcome evaluation survey is sent to a physician one year after they have completed their physician assessment. The focus is understanding the assessment experience. It also focuses on whether changes or improvements were made to practice since participation and whether the changes are sustainable.

Other feedback surveys:

• The PPEP office assessment survey is sent to the medical director following a PPEP office assessment completion.
• The POMDRA survey is sent to POMDRA participants following program completion.

Assessment outcomes

Examining data on program participants and outcomes is another essential component of program evaluation. It helps us see trends, patterns, and inform our decision-making.  

Highlights from 2016 to 2020

• Approximately 80% of assessments took place in a multi-physician office setting; 20% in a solo office setting.
• PPEP mainly assessed family practice physicians, along with smaller proportions of specialties for which programs have been developed.
• On average, approximately 80% of assessments do not result in further follow-up being required after the initial assessment. The other 20% go on to complete further required activities.
• On average,* an assessment case takes about 11 months to complete. This is from the time a registrant is notified they are eligible to participate until they receive their Performance Review and Action Plan (PRAP) report.
  ^{* For cases completed in 2019 and 2020. This timeline does not include cases which require additional follow-up activities following the PRAP.}
• In 2019/20, POMDRA conducted 225 assessments of physician offices.