Indigenous Chronic Disease Package
Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy for the Package
Table of contents
Monitoring and Evaluation
Evaluation is key to developing successful programs. It provides feedback that can help guide a program as it is being implemented by identifying strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement. It can also demonstrate whether the program is successful in accomplishing its identified aims and objectives.Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy for the Package
The Indigenous Chronic Disease Package includes funding to monitor implementation and assess its effectiveness in achieving the target of closing the gap in life expectancy.The strategy includes the following elements:
- the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework to guide the package’s monitoring and evaluation activities;
- monitoring through sentinel sites to provide information about implementation and early outcomes;
- introducing a web-based system for Indigenous Health Services to use in reporting data;
- use of national survey information;
- ongoing analysis and reporting by the Department of Health and Ageing including, for example, analysis of MBS and PBS data; and
- an overall evaluation of the package to be undertaken in 2012.
Monitoring and evaluation framework
This framework will guide the ongoing monitoring of activities under the package as well as the overall evaluation. It provides a platform for evaluating the success of the measures within the package, both individually and together. The framework will help to assess the package in reducing chronic disease-related morbidity and mortality among Indigenous Australians in the longer term – beyond the scope of the 2012 evaluation.Sentinel Sites
A key component of monitoring and evaluation is the establishment of sentinel sites. These will cover metropolitan, regional and remote areas, and will include a mix of health organisations (Indigenous Health Services, general practices and Divisions of General Practice). Sites are being established across Australia in 2010-2011. The sentinel sites will help to understand the impact that the package will have in the longer term. They will be able to identify the things that are working successfully in different locations. They will also be able to identify the specific barriers and enable the Australian Government and the health workforce to work proactively with communities to overcome obstacles.The information gained through the sentinel sites, along with other health and medical service use data, will contribute to the overall evaluation of the package. This will demonstrate how we have progressed toward closing the life expectancy gap.