DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ALASKA PACIFIC UNIVERSITY MBA 63909 Summer 2012 Instructor: Babu George Background: This

course will introduce the learner to basic methods for undertaking research and program evaluation within health services organizations and systems. The course will also cover best practices in evaluation through the review of some of the major completed studies. Format: This course will adopt independent study/directed study format. In this format, students will, for the most part, take the role of self-learners with the instructor receding to the role of a mentor. Students have to sign an independent study contract and the contract form will be emailed in due course. As part of this independent study, each student will prepare the design of an evaluation research project of his or her choice, execute it, make a presentation, and submit a report. In addition, they have to participate in a minimum number of asynchronous electronic discussions conducted via Moodle. Grading: 1. Summarize and submit the key learning(s) from the reading materials posted by the instructor on Moodle, roughly once every fortnight. You need to log in to Moodle at least once in two weeks and look for reading materials: 40/100 points. 2. Prepare a health services evaluation study, make a presentation (can be online or face to face) and submit a report (via Moodle). If it works out, you can do a joint study, together: 60/100 points (40 for the report and 20 for the presentation). Health Services Evaluation and Outcome (3 Credits)

Broad Discussion Themes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Introduction to health services research Service evaluation process in the healthcare context Research Design Instrument construction Analytical tools for evaluation research Cost effectiveness analysis Information systems and secondary data Qualitative studies in health service evaluation Ethics in health services research Evaluation proposal and reporting

Textbook Requirement: The content for this course is modeled after the Introduction to Methods for Health Services Research and Evaluation course of John Hopkins School of Public Health. JHSPH has uploaded into public domain a large reserve of learning materials via JHSPH Open Courseware and

students are encouraged to refer to them as primary reading materials. A text book is not compulsory; however, it is a good idea to read and keep in your possession one of the reasonably well known text books on health services evaluation. Some of the suggested books include:

Cozby, P. C. (2004). Methods in behavioral research. McGraw-Hill. Fink, A. (1993). Evaluation fundamentals: guiding health programs, research, and policy. Sage Publications. Friedman, C. P., & Wyatt, J. (2006). Evaluation Methods in Biomedical Informatics. Springer. Issel, L. M. (2009). Health Program Planning and Evaluation: A Practical and Systematic Approach for Community Health. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Rossi, P. H., Lipsey, M. W., & Freeman, H. E. (2004). Evaluation: A Systematic Approach. SAGE. Speer, D. C. (1998). Mental Health Outcome Evaluation. Academic Press. Timmreck, T. C. (2003). Planning, Program Development, and Evaluation: A Handbook for Health Promotion, Aging, and Health Services. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Veney, J. E., & Kaluzny, A. D. (2005). Evaluation And Decision Making For Health Services. Beard Books. Wholey, J. S., Hatry, H. P., & Newcomer, K. E. (2010). Handbook of Practical Program Evaluation. John Wiley & Sons. General Caveat: This copy of syllabus is a work in progress. As an instructor, I love to take your feedback while the course proceeds and make changes in the syllabus. Most times, such changes will be minor and I will inform you in advance of any changes in the syllabus. Instructor Contacts: My office is located at Room 3, GH an APU campus. You are welcome to fix an appointment over email if you want to meet me. Wherever possible, I will try to help resolve any issue that you might have by means of electronic communication. In order to keep proper records, please consider using moodle for all important communications. However, if you need an urgent response, please email me at babugeor@facebook.com or call me at 6012554431. Americans with Disabilities Act Policy It is the policy of Alaska Pacific University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Counseling & Wellness Center, Career & Disability Services in the Atwood Building. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request. Students will be notified by the Director of Counseling & Wellness Center, Career & Disability Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the students responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Director of Counseling & Wellness Center, Career & Disability Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculties are not expected to make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.

APU is a private university of higher education. Students seeking accommodation must present documentation of disability to the Director of Counseling & Wellness, Career & Disability Services. In some cases, accommodation can be facilitated quite simply, while in other cases APU may not be capable of providing specific assistance. At all times, APU seeks to make reasonable accommodation. You may reach the Director of Counseling & Wellness, Career & Disability Services at dbpalmer@alaskapacific.edu or by calling 907-564-8345.

Syllabus copy modified on: 4/29/12