Evaluability study of the Multicenter Program for Professional Qualification in Distance Home Care (PMQPAD)

Abstract:

With the implementation of home care in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS), the need to train administrators and health workers led to the creation of the Multicenter Program for Professional Qualification in Distance Home Care (PMQPAD) in a partnership between the SUS Open University and the General Coordinating Division for Home Care, of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Through courses in specialization, improvement, and self-instruction, the program achieved wide capillarity and scope in the country, with nearly 300,000 enrollments across all states of Brazil. The current study aimed to structure a model to assess the PMQPAD through an evaluability study with participation by the program’s administrators. We used the methodology developed by Thurston & Ramaliu, the stages of which allowed describing the program, representing it with a log frame model, and developing a evaluation matrix. We conducted document analysis, semi-structured interviews, and consensus workshops for the model’s validation. The process resulted in the development of three evaluation matrices, one for each of the program’s course modalities, with four analytical dimensions in common (Course characteristics and educational resources; Institutional aspects; Results; Impacts). The primary data sources for the evaluation indicators were the students, tutors, and administrators. The study drew on stakeholders’ participation and proved appropriate for the development of the evaluation proposal. The results highlight the potential for use of evaluation matrices developed for the assessment of other distance training programs under the SUS.

Keywords:
Health Evaluation; Educational Assessment; Home Care Services; Distance Education; Primary Health Care