[ Return to CORES ]

Program Evaluation (Center for Rural Health) - http://ruralhealth.und.edu/topics/27

The Center for Rural Health's (CRH) focus for evaluation is on health care programs and services. The CRH's strategies, programs, and evaluations target four core areas at local, state, federal, and tribal levels: education and information dissemination; program development and community assistance; research; and policy analysis. The programs the CRH has worked with are in the arenas of health information outreach; health care provider education; continuing professional, consumer and policymaker education on health topics; public health and wellness promotion; disease control and prevention; and research on health policy, health systems, and health personnel.

The Center for Rural Health's vision for program evaluation is that it is the systematic and comprehensive approach to studying the effectiveness of programs for the purposes of program improvement, making judgments about the programs, informing decision making, and generating practical knowledge. The CRH advocates evaluation capacity building at all levels. In this era of ever increasing expectations that organizations and programs show their effectiveness, cost-benefit, accessibility, and appropriateness, the Center is continuously developing its ability to monitor and evaluate its projects, programs, and strategies.

The CRH staff members have participated in multiple activities as part of needs assessments, evaluation, and action research such as data collection and analysis using multiple methods, reporting, and dissemination of findings. Center staff have also assisted with capacity building of evaluation efforts in programs at the local and state level - helping programs learn, adapt, and strengthen themselves while thinking more critically about how their projects achieve results.

The CRH has implemented its evaluation activities in collaboration with a number of organizations and programs. Partners include:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities
• North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services
• North Dakota Department of Health
• North Dakota Suicide Prevention Project

Evaluation funders/clients include:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota
• Johnson & Johnson Foundation
• Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Minot State University
• National Institutes of Health
• North Dakota Women's Health CORE
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Contact Person: Dr. Boris Volkov - 701-777-6781 - bvolkov@medicine.nodak.edu

Website: http://ruralhealth.und.edu/topics/27