Requirements

Draft a proposal for your data review project. Use the Data Review Project Proposal Template, linked in the Resources of this unit.

Integrate faculty feedback on your proposal, prior to sharing it with the prospective client.

Supporting Evidence

Add a minimum of five relevant, authoritative sources, cited within the outline, different than the original citations from Assessment 1. Limit commercial website references to no more than two entries. Format your citations and references using APA style.

Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Be sure that your proposal addresses each point, at a minimum. You may also want to read the Data Review Project Proposal Scoring Guide to better understand how each criterion will be assessed.

Choose a framework appropriate for examining the type of data under investigation. Look at the following for examples and explain the basis for your choice.
- For a compliance project, use the regulations.
- For an accrediting assessment, use the standards and site survey criteria.
- For the implementation of a new service line, consider using the balanced scorecard framework.
Explain how a project addresses and adds value to each of the four areas of an organizational balanced scorecard. (The four areas being, business operations, finance, customer service, and organizational learning and growth.)
- Create a balanced scorecard table similar to the one presented in the Balanced Scorecard Example, linked in the Resources of this unit.
- Consider a strategic, systems perspective as you contemplate value to the organization and how the project aligns with the organizational mission, vision, and strategy.
- Find evidence to support your assertions and conclusions.
- Determine what additional information would strengthen your value proposition.
Develop proposed structures (for example, pie chart, graph, spreadsheet, process map) for the visual display of summarized raw data.
- Reflect on what type of visual display structure will best fit your selected topic. Although you are just beginning to collect data, you will want to consider how to display it.
- Ensure that your data displays are clear and easily interpreted.
- Ensure that the proposed title includes the focus of the data, units of measurement, the organization’s name, and time frame.
Combine clear, coherent, and original writing, in APA style, with relevant and credible evidence from the scholarly and professional literature.
- Apply correct APA formatting to your source citations.
- Consider how or why a particular piece of evidence supports your main points, claims, or conclusions.
- Make sure your supporting evidence is clear and explicit.

Data Review Project Proposal Template

Your data review project proposal should include the following elements:Cover Page: Include
the project topic, the course title, your name, the date, and the instructors
name.Table of Contents:
Headings and sub-headings with right-justified page numbers.Executive Summary:
One page, double-spaced. Include the topic, the problem, the purpose of the project
or data examination, the method to examine the data (data review), and the
nature of the findings (for example, quality improvement of X).Introduction:
Four-sentence topic descriptionstatement of the problem, the performance
indicators to be evaluated, the outcome measures for each indicator, and the
value proposition or relevance statement.·
I am examining [state the issue or problem],
because [identify the relevant and authoritative reference that validates your
issue as a problem].·
I will examine [state the type of data], and
will assess the data by measuring [state the performance indicators and outcome
measures].·
This project will add value to [state the type
of organization or name] by [mention how it aligns with an organizational
need].·
This project aligns with my professional
interests and career goals by [mention how it adds value or has relevance for
you personally].Statement of the
Problem: State the issue in the form of a problem, and add a properly-formatted
APA citation.Background:
Literature: Provide a minimum of six authoritative sources. Add a short description
of each source explaining how the content directly relates to the topic. Note: Wikipedia and commercial websites
are not authoritative sources.Your sources should address the following:·
The issue from a national or industry level.·
Current, relevant facts, trends, and emerging
issues.·
The issue relative to your subsector of the
health care industry or continuum of care.·
Data and statistics that substantiate the need
to examine the issue (or, what are the consequences and risks of not addressing the issue?).Client Value Proposition:·
State how your project will address or add value
to each of the four areas of the balanced scorecard: business operations,
finance, customer service, and organizational learning and growth.·
Restate any pertinent information, including an industry
macro overview, such as a new policy to be implemented, compliance with an
existing regulation or law, and client needs and situation.·
Make a precise statement about how the data
review will add value to the organization.·
Include a request for input and feedback from
the practicing health care professional or selected health care organization.
This is to ensure that your identification of key performance indicators and
targeted data sets under investigation align with the needs of the
organization.Expected Outcomes and Precise
Performance Measurement:·
What data will be collected and analyzed?·
Explain how each performance indicator that
relates to the problem will be measured. Be precise in explaining how the outcome
will be measured.·
Explain what type of visual displays you will
use to summarize or group the data you are examining (for example, a pie chart,
graph, spreadsheet, and process map.)Leadership Component:·
Describe your precise roles and responsibilities
in leading the effort. Human subject research is outside the scope of the Health
Administration Capstone course.·
Select one NCHL competency within each category
or domain of People, Transformation, and Execution. Then, provide a short
explanation about how each relates to your project. For example, Domain =
People; Competency = Change Leadership. I will practice this competency in Unit
4 by seeking feedback and suggestions from a practicing health care
professional.Timeline: Include
a week-by-week summary of major tasks to be done to complete the project.·
Proposed start and end dates, weekly to-do
tasks, responsible party (learner), and due dates. Note: Use the Project Management Timetable format.

Balanced Scorecard Example

Applied to a Billing Process Improvement Project

Business Operations	Finance	Customer Service	Organizational Learning and Growth
Diminish critical path variance by x% during Q3 of FY 15. Current baseline is 14% variance.	Increase revenue by x% over baseline during Q3.	Improve customer satisfaction scores by x% during Q3 of FY 15.	Improve billing process and develop critical path. Evidence: Critical path document constructed and variance points identified for further quantification.
Establish a new critical path and measure variance from baseline for billing process Y. Goal is variance < .03.	Diminish denials by x%.	Decrease non-revenue producing staff communication time by x minutes/day.	Decrease coding errors by x%.

The
purpose of this example is to demonstrate the impact of your proposed project
to a senior executive. You are quantifying what they can expect if they
implement this project. What are the goals or benchmarks? What will indicate if
they are making progress (performance indicators)? How will they measure their
progress (units of measure: variance rate, minutes-per-day, percentage of
denied claims, and percentage of reduced coding errors; resultant savings:
staff time, aging accounts, delayed revenue inflow)? Essentially, you are
citing the time frame in which results might be obtained and providing targets
for those results.

Tips

Please keep this simple. It is not a complex exercise. You
will simply make
a balanced scorecard table similar to the one above for your project and add it
to your existing proposal. Feel
free to customize the table for your project.Remember to review the instructor feedback from the Data
Review Project Proposal assignment. Ensure that you have included any suggested
revisions in your new and improved project design. Also, include any
suggestions from the client, when applicable.