The Effect of Formative Program Evaluation on Continuous Program Improvement: A Case Study of a Clinical Training Program in Lao PDR.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the formative program evaluation on the continuous improvement of a clinical training program for Lao health professionals. The training program was conducted 4 times consecutively for total 48 health professionals, and the formative program evaluation was carried out during the whole process. To evaluate the satisfaction and the transfer of the trainees, the questionnaire survey, the focus group interview, and the trainees' medical records were used. After the end of each batch of the program, the evaluation data were analyzed, and its results were shared with the training management committee and the trainers, who, based on the results, reached a consensus on how to improve the program. The evaluation results and the comparison of them among the four batches of the program showed that there was a continuous increase of the satisfaction and the transfer of the trainees, especially in the early period of the program. The formative program evaluation which was conducted during the whole process of the clinical training program had a positive effect on the improvement of the program, especially in the early phase, by increasing the satisfaction and transfer of the trainees.