Announcing publication of the Interim Evaluation Report
The work of Project Access NOW results in positive outcomes for the community, and now we have more proof to back it up. Last month, the Eugene-based Health Policy Research Northwest published the Interim Report, which evaluates the outcomes of our services mid-way through the two-year evaluation period. The researchers examined progress along four dimensions: increase in access to medical care, scope of services provided, reduction in community burden of preventable illness, and pilot evaluation. The Interim Report covers the period from March 2008, when first patients enrolled in Project Access, to June 30, 2009, when our first full fiscal year ended. Data was collected from the client enrollment database, client exit surveys, provider surveys, and administrative data.
All in all, the interim outcomes are very positive and encouraging! Here are the highlights:
Goal #1: Measure the Increase in Access to Medical Care Resulting From Project Access Program Activities
Visits to emergency rooms decreased from 42% to 26% of respondents. Going without specialty medical care decreased from 60% to 26% of respondents.
Goal #2: Describe the Scope of Services Provided by PANOW Participating Providers
A total of 1,339 patients were enrolled in Project Access in the period, of whom 724 received medical care services. Claims for services totaled $3,931,317, or $1,529 per client. Most procedures involved evaluation or diagnostics.
Goal #3: Reduce Community Burden of Preventable Illness
The most frequently occurring medical conditions among Project Access patients were as follows (patients can be included in more than one category):
- Symptoms , signs, and ill-defined conditions and factors influencing health status (32%)
- Diseases of the digestive system (30%)
- Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases and immunity disorders (28%)
- Diseases of the circulatory system (27%)
- Diseases of the genitourinary system (20%)
Alcohol-related, drug-related, and dental care diagnoses were not common in the patient population.
Goal #4: Evaluate the Pilot Objectively
Clients rated the care they received through Project Access on a scale of zero to ten (with zero being the worst healthcare possible and ten being the best); the average ranking was 9. Nearly two-thirds (63.4%) said it was very easy to get an appointment with their physician. Patients also reported an 11% improvement in health. More than 90% of providers reported Project Access NOW had a positive impact on patients’ health, while 66% reported Project Access NOW added value to the community.
The report is available in two formats:
(October 2009)
