IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PLAN FOR AN EVALUATION (FROM THE BEGINNING) TO ASSESS WHETHER YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR TARGETS This involves: a) the implementation of your intended intervention/program, and b) the impact in terms of intermediate outcomes (practice & care delivery), and ultimate outcomes (impact on the patient and the health care system).

 

In the evaluation section, you will need to define indicators of quality of practice, for each of your chosen targets.

Even though "Evaluation" is only discussed in Step 5, the evaluation should be part of your planning as of Step 3, when targets are chosen and even more so in Step 4, when defining your interventions. On the other hand, your evaluation methods should be sustainable, meaning that you should be able to monitor indicators of quality of practice over the long-term.

• Hence, it is extremely important to involve your Hospital Quality Department from the beginning: they will be able to produce reports and follow-up on a number of indicators.

 

Evaluation is the systematic gathering, analysis and reporting of data about an intervention/
program/pathway to assist in decision-making.