A new performance evaluation indicator for the LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program of Korea Foundation for International Healthcare to better assess its long-term educational impacts: a Delphi study.

Purpose: The Dr. LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program, established by the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), aims to strengthen healthcare capacity in partner countries. The aim of the study was to develop new performance evaluation indicators for the program to better assess long-term educational impact across various courses and professional roles.

Methods: A 3-stage process was employed. First, a literature review of established evaluation models (Kirkpatrick's 4 levels, CIPP model, OECD DAC criteria) was conducted to devise evaluation criteria. Second, these criteria were validated via a 2-round Delphi survey with 18 experts in training projects from May 2021 to June 2021. Third, the relative importance of the evaluation criteria was determined using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), calculating weights and ensuring consistency through the consistency index (CI) and consistency ratio (CR), with CR values below 0.1 indicating acceptable consistency.

Results: The literature review led to a combined evaluation model, resulting in 4 evaluation areas, 20 items, and 92 indicators. The Delphi surveys confirmed the validity of these indicators, with content validity ratio values exceeding 0.444. The AHP analysis assigned weights to each indicator, and CR values below 0.1 indicated consistency. The final set of evaluation indicators was confirmed through a workshop with KFIH and adopted as the new evaluation tool.

Conclusion: The developed evaluation framework provides a comprehensive tool for assessing the long-term outcomes of the Dr. LEE Jong-wook Fellowship Program. It enhances evaluation capabilities and supports improvements in the training program's effectiveness and international healthcare collaboration.