Measurement and Evaluation

Demonstrating the success of any quality improvement initiative requires consistent

and frequent data collection.  Three categories of measurement are used in the

BCAP Quality Framework to evaluate short  and long term successes:  

Pilot measures describe individual improvement team results in each BCAP

Typology category and reveal where changes are working and where adjustments

are necessary. 

Common measures aggregated across several organizations create normative data.

The measures also allow BCAP participants to compare their progress against

baseline.

Capacity measures examine team capabilities, organizational processes, and 

systems changes.

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Establishing baseline data for each of these measures and collecting data in frequent

intervals are critical to demonstrating the success of an initiative.

Sustainability and Diffusion

Sustainability means ensuring that a successful pilot project is institutionalized so

that it will continue after the improvement team has been disbanded.  This means

moving from a pilot project to a permanent program.  For example, Health Plus

piloted a financial incentive to providers to improve developmental screening and

observed a significant improvement in its rates.  Because of Health Plus' pilot suc 

cess, the plan institutionalized the incentive and offered reimbursement for devel 

opmental screening to all of its providers. 

Diffusion is the spread of both the best practice proven by the pilot project and the

application of the BCAP Quality Framework methodology to other quality

improvement projects.  For example, beyond the developmental screening quality

improvement work initiated in this workgroup, Molina Healthcare of Michigan is

now applying the BCAP Quality Framework to its lead screening program and its

emergency room utilization program for young children.

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BCAP workgroups that started prior to 2003, including Enhancing Child Development Services in Medicaid Managed Care, used pilot measures to allow each 

plan to measure improvement against its own baseline. As of 2003, CHCS added common measures and capacity measures.

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