This assessment consists of three parts.
Data Presentation
In this part of the assessment, you will apply the selected tool to the problem and produce a minimum of two visual data displays (charts, graphs, et cetera). Examples of tools you might include are:
Cost Benefit Analysis: Excel spreadsheet, converted into 2–3 worksheet tabs, graphs, or other visual display format.
Compliance Assessment: 3 major criteria converted into 3 separate pie charts or other graphic display format.
Lean Analysis: The percent of variance by major factor converted into 2–3 trend lines.
Note: At a minimum, provide a cost benefit analysis of the recommendation.
Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Data
In this part of the assessment you will analyze the collected data relative to benchmarks. Provide discussion as to whether the selected benchmarks are internal to the organization, external industry benchmarks, or a combination. Be sure to include a short summary of observations. Note: If the problem requires an additional tool, such as a compliance audit tool, you may include more than one discussion of the results.
Evidence-Based Recommendations
In this final part of the assessment, provide evidence-based recommendations that will help to address the identified problem. Be sure to support your recommendations with references to current, scholarly, and/or authoritative sources. Also, include an explanation as to why the recommendations are feasible for this particular organization. For example, one recommendation might be to offer a new service line. Even though the new service may not generate an immediate profit, it might serve to draw additional patients into the network.
Tips
Assessment 3: Data Collection and Analysis
Open your paper with an introduction that previews the paper: offer a summary of the purpose of your project and your recommendations.
Do not place any graphs before the introduction.
Identify at least two specific data analysis tools that you will use to analyze and present data.
The data collection and analysis tools that you use should be ones that are “recognized” and used within the industry. You are expected to use charts, graphs, process maps, etc.
Explain why you selected those tools.
The key to justifying the recommended tool(s) is to offer cogent evidence, such as precedents, from research published in scholarly and/or professional journals.
You must create your own data visualizations. Do NOT copy-paste graphs, charts, etc. from external sources.
Embed graphs, charts, etc. in your paper – do not provide these in a separate file.
For data presentation, provide appropriate visualizations of the data. Explain why you selected the tools and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the tools. Be sure to explain what the data tells us and discuss the implications.
Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a tool that you can use – but you are not required to.
A CBA is an in-depth analysis of all costs and benefits. If you choose to provide a CBA be sure to provide a narrative that explains the source of your data.
Be sure to properly label all graphs. The title must include the name of the organization, the type of data, and date range. Here is a simple example:
George Community Hospital
Inpatient CHF Readmissions by Month
2022 – 2023
This paper is expected to provide the actual data, both from a specific organization or geographic area (i.e., internal), as well as the benchmark data (i.e., external), and then offer an assessment / analysis of the data.
Your data and analysis are expected to identify the causes of the problem. Just having data about the problem does not offer any insight into the causes. Without identifying the cause, you can’t fix the problem.
Your analysis of the internal data compared to external benchmarks and best practices should lead you to develop pragmatic recommendations.
You are expected to identify evidenced-based solutions that will “fix” the causes of the problem. Avoid offering generic solutions that are not related to the causes. Healthcare organizations have very limited resources – so recommending actions that will not fix the problem will waste their resources.
Be sure to offer evidence (data from research published in scholarly / peer-reviewed journals) that shows that the solutions are effective and efficient; i.e., the solutions are proven to work.
The recommendations must be sensitive to organization context and constraints – be sure to assess the feasibility of your recommendations. Do not propose a solution that the organization cannot implement.
