A New Direction in Addressing the Crisis in Health Care Service Delivery: A Study of a Local Intervention Model

A New Direction in Addressing the Crisis in Health Care Service Delivery: A Study of a Local Intervention Model

While the literature includes an abundance of descriptive reports on health care delivery models, a dearth of information exists on the evaluation of the models. In addressing that need, this paper examines the Sickness Prevention Achieved through Regional Collaboration (SPARC) model that was customized for Fulton County, Georgia. The model centers on an innovative and collaborative approach in addressing health disparities. With the information available to us, our goal was to assess the implementation and evaluation of the intervention – the latter centering on whether or not the program’s implied intent (sickness prevention) was actually achieved. Much effort was made toward that end, but although there is convincing evidence for the effectiveness of grouped interventions, the CDC’s report on Community Guide to Preventive Services, which informs direction and resources for “evidence-based” community interventions, has not yet evaluated models of delivery that provide multiple interventions. Evidence exists in this, and other similar programs, for services provided which are intended to achieve sickness prevention (the obvious intent of SPARC). We examine the goals, implementation and, using Pressman and Wildavsky’s model on program implementation, the methodological aspects of SPARC-Fulton County and provide an assessment on data and summary information which is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such programs.