Preliminary evaluation of the Community Nursing Program (including assessment of fee schedule) – Department of Veterans’ Affairs

[NB: copied from Job master]

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) purchases a wide range of health services for entitled persons (eligible veterans and/or their spouse) through its Community Nursing Program (CNP). The program aims to keep entitled persons living independently in the community and reduce early admission to hospital.

In response to health policy changes and the introduction of new state and federally funded community programs, DVA engaged HMA to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the CNP. The preliminary evaluation included assessment of the needs of clients accessing the service, how well the needs are met, how the CNP contributes to desired client outcomes, and a desktop review of current fee structure compared to market value. Key tasks included:

• consultation with a range of stakeholders including program administrators and providers
• thematic analysis of stakeholder feedback
• quantitative data analysis to determine program effectiveness
• desktop analysis of the CNP fee schedule
• facilitation of a stakeholder workshop to present project findings and test preliminary recommendations
• development of recommendations for a more comprehensive program review

This project commenced in August 2018 and was completed in February 2019.