Developing a Self-Assessment Toolfor Culturally - Office of Minority ...

Appendix GCLAS in MCOs Study Data Collection Plan1. DATA COLLECTION DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS1.1 Identifying Appropriate RespondentsAn important component of the study’s data collection plan was to determine who, i.e.,which MCO staff types, would be most appropriate for answering questions related to the studydomains and key elements. Brainstorming exercises were conducted, and extensivedeliberations were held among the research team, OMH staff, and the experts from the field toexamine the domains and key elements in terms of the types of respondents who would beknowledgeable of, and therefore able to answer questions related to, particular areas of inquiry.An examination of the domains, key elements, and study variables revealed a clearconceptual division, or categorization of topical inquiries, to be paired with respondent typeswho would be appropriate for gathering the needed information. The conceptual framework wasstudied and discussed at length, both in its entirety and within each domain. Through thesediscussions, the following pattern of topical inquiries emerged: the framework was found tocomprise measures of CLAS practices as they relate to: 1) the organization; 2) its staff; and3) its members. As such, these discussions resulted in a three-tiered approach for collecting datawithin each MCO. One respondent would be responsible for completing a questionnairecomponent that covered each of these three main areas of inquiry, so that three respondents perMCO would participate in the study’s data collection effort.Questions related to CLAS practices at the organization level (e.g., CLAS-related corporateplanning and policy development) should be directed toward a senior executive within theorganization, such as a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or Medical Director. This decision toidentify and approach an MCO’s senior executive for the organization-related topics of inquirywas strengthened by the fact that the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) managedcare directory, that would be used as the study’s sampling frame maintained by the AmericanAssociation of Health Plans (AAHP) included contact information for each organization’s CEOor Medical Director.An important consideration was offered by members of the expert panel regarding the levelof variation among MCOs and their staffing patterns. Because organizations vary by size andfunction, identifying the two remaining respondents within each MCO may prove to be morecomplicated. As such, the panelists recommended that appropriate respondents for completingthe questionnaire components covering staff- and member-related CLAS practices be identifiedby someone within the organization such as a high-level executive.Also, it was recommended that the appropriate respondents for completing the staff- andmember-related components of the instrument be based on function and knowledge, not title orCOSMOS Corporation, December 2003 G-1