|
Request for Research Proposal
ACHE awards $25,000 annually to ACHE affiliates who are full-time faculty of health administration programs.
The American College of Healthcare Executives requests proposals that will set forth a research plan to study CEO attitudes and practices of hospitals and health systems regarding the professional development of their managers and executives. Researchers are encouraged to use both qualitative and quantitative approaches to enlarge our understanding of this issue.
Healthcare managers (department heads and below) and executives (positions above department head) are obliged to confront numerous competing objectives in their positions including improving the quality of care provided while managing costs. To realize those goals, formal training in management is now considered the norm. But as they ascend their organization’s hierarchy and to keep abreast of changes in quality procedures, reimbursement methods and other challenges, managers and executives must pursue professional development. Professional development includes membership in professional societies, credentialing and continuing education. ACHE would like more information about how the professional development function is encouraged by hospitals and health systems for its managers and executives today.
Bidders must be affiliates of ACHE and we encourage you to partner with a healthcare practitioner. Some of the possible questions we would like to have answered include:
- What does the literature generally report about professional association involvement, continuing education and credentialing of healthcare managers and executives? From an organizational perspective, what do CEOs of hospitals and health systems focus on when considering the professional memberships, credentialing and continuing education needs of their teams?
- What structures and processes are used to decide on these professional development activities for the managers and executives of hospitals and health systems?
- How is professional development tied to career development and succession planning?
- What amount is budgeted annually for professional development of managers and executives and has this changed in the recent past? Specifically how much is budgeted for professional society memberships, pursuit of credentials and continuing education?
- What are the preferences of hospitals and health systems in regard to professional development? Why and in what way is membership in professional societies encouraged? What criteria are used to select providers of continuing education for managers and executives?
- How do CEOs determine if their organizations received value for their professional development dollar? For example, is there a relationship between investing in professional development activities for managers and executives and the net operating margins of their organizations? What other outcomes are used to measure the impact of professional society membership, credentials and continuing education attained?
- Recently, several healthcare organizations have been awarded Baldrige status. To develop their survey instrument, researchers may wish to conduct interviews to determine whether or not these organizations differ from others with regard to the professional development activities of their managers and executives. In general, do CEOs of leading health delivery organizations have unique philosophies and practices regarding the professional identification and continuing education of their management teams?
Proposal Requirements
Proposal should address the following:
Statement of the Issue
A general background of the issue being investigated, including prior research. Study Hypotheses or Research Questions
A succinct statement concerning exactly what will be investigated. Research Design
How will the research address the study questions? Source of Data
Please specify whether you plan to collect qualitative and/or quantitative information. For example, researchers may wish to conduct in-depth interviews and/or distribute a survey to hospitals and systems. Please include a draft interview protocol and/or questionnaire in the proposal. If a survey is planned, specify the sampling strategy you intend to use and what efforts you will make to obtain a high response rate. ACHE will underwrite the printing and distribution costs of a survey if you work with our vendors. Analytic Plan
What will be the focus of the analysis? How will the study question(s) be answered? Bibliographic References
Key studies published or in process that relate to the proposed research. Schedule and Deliverables
Specify target dates for the key aspects of the research project. We require a final report and an electronic file containing all data collected (including a codebook) 12 months after the grant is awarded. Qualifications and Experience of Investigator(s)
Note: The principal investigator must be an affiliate of ACHE (i.e., Faculty Associate, Member or Fellow). Associated costs
Quote a maximum all-inclusive price for the research and itemize your expenses. In addition to the costs noted in section D above, ACHE will pay a maximum of $25,000 for this project. Should your proposed research exceed this sum, it is understood that you or your organization will assume those additional costs. In addition, please be aware that ACHE will not reimburse for indirect expenses.
Proposal Submission and Deadline
A bidders’ conference call will be held on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST to answer any questions you may have. The procedures for dialing in are as follows:
Dial in number: 1-877-676-6548
Your participant code is 0444400
Proposals must be received no later than close of business, Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Please provide one paper copy or an electronic Word file or PDF document. Selection will be made by the Higher Education and Research Committee in July 2008. Finalists may be invited, at ACHE’s expense, to present their proposals to senior ACHE staff.
Please address your proposal to:
Peter A. Weil, PhD, FACHE
Vice President, Division of Research
American College of Healthcare Executives
1 N. Franklin St., Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60606-3529
e-mail: pweil@ache.org
View past winners of the Health Management Research Award and their topics.
|
