ii I 6* GROUP PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING 2465 Overland Road o R 0. Box 5796 o Boise, Idaho 83705 o 208/342-4666 January 22, 1975 NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE OF RMP COORDINATORS Donal R. Sparkman, M.D., Chairman Washington/Alaska RMP Mr. Matthew H. Spear Robert W. Brown, M.D. Division of Regional Medical Programs South Central Rm Ps Parklawn Building Room 15-42 Mr. Charles Caldwell 5600 Fishers Lane North Central RMPs Rockville, Maryland 20852 Mafiu Chattedee, M.D. Maine RMP Dear Matt: John R. F. lngar. M.D. UMs Area RMP I wish to thank you for the opportunity to attend the recent GrvMge W. Larimgre. M.D. National Arthritis Conference as a representative of the Regional Southeastern RMPS Medical Pr.ogram's Public Accountability Reporting Group. I was pleased Mr. Robert W. Murphy to have the opportunity to describe our activities and to discuss public Northeastern RMPs accountability reporting and the Special Progress Reports which have S. Reinschmidt, M.D. Western RMft been developed for certain RMP initiatives. The resolutions adopted by the conference requesting assistance of PAR to assess the RMP Pilot Arthritis Study for FY 75 clearly indicates the necessity and va i ty for accountability repo rting. My understanding of the resolution was PARGROUPCOUNCIL that the PAR Group join as part of a larger committee with representa- C. E. Smith, Ph.D., Chairman tion from the American Arthritis Association, the American Academy of Mountain States RMP Orthopedic Surgeons and others to develop an adjunct system to the Mr. Harry Auerbach normal PAR Reporting System. Such an adjunct could collect, analyze, Nonh Central RMft and report program data which capture the total FM arthritis exper- Gordon R. Engebretson, Ph.D. ience including objectives activities and outputs of each project as Southeastern RMPs 9 well as organization, management, administration and control of the Mr. Robert J. Miller individual projects. Northeastern RMPs Mr. Roger J. Warner From the discussion which followed the presentation of the ieso- South Central RMPs lution, I gained a sense of immediacy as far as development and imple- Charles H. While. Ph.D. WesWmRMft mentation of the data collection and assessment system. I would therefore suggest that this working committee mentioned above be convened before the end of February 1975 to conduct a two day working session in order to design a relevant information profile and data collection instrument. After the committee has general agreement from the ARA, ACOP, and PAR regarding content and format, the draft data collection instrument could be reviewed with the 29 RMPs and their arthritis project directors. After a period of say 10 days for review and comment, the system could be finalized and the instrument distributed to the RMPS. Mr. Matthew H. Spear Page Two January 22, 1975 As I recall, the intent-of the recommendation from the Program ion Workshop was that the data collection phase be initiated Documentat after there has been sufficient time for submission of final progress by each of the projects to their respective RMPS. I would assume that this would be completed by late summer 1975. Data collection could be conducted during September 1975 and a report written, reviewed and cleared by the respective agencies during.October 1975 for final distribution prior to December 31, 1975 as discussed in the conference report. Don Sparkman, M.D., Chairman, RMP Coordinator Steering Committee, has been consulted through C. E. Smith, Ph.D., Chairman, PAR Council and has given his endorsement for the PAR Group to participate in this joint assessment effort on behalf of the RNP Coordinators. I understand that the DRNP restrictions regarding expenditures of PIT funds for arthritis projects may not apply to an assessment effort such As that described above. Depending on information requirements which may develop from the committee, it may be necessary to request some very modest support from each of the 29 RNPs supporting arthritis projects. The funds would be used for travel, preparation and publica- tion of a final reporti This may be in the neighborhood of $300-$500 for each program. We will look forward to receiving a copy of the proceeding of the conference and authorization to proceed with Assessment of the National RMP Pilot Arthritis Initiative. Best personal regards. Sincerely, Engebrdtson, Ph.D. GRE:kc ec4 D. Sparkman, M.D. C. E' Smith, Ph.D. Sectional Representatives