Leadership Development Academy

Capstone Project Overview

Participants in the AACVPR Leadership Development Academy will complete a capstone project that addresses a significant issue or opportunity within their current or prospective rehabilitation program. The project should demonstrate a deep understanding of program management principles and their practical application. The capstone project will consist of the following key milestones:

1. Identify a Critical Program Challenge
2. Develop a Capstone Project Roadmap
3. Complete the Mid-Course Capstone Progress
4. Complete the Final Capstone Summary Report

Select course participants will be invited to present a brief capstone summary during a breakout session at the 40th AACVPR Annual Meeting.

Identifying a Critical Program Challenge

Identify a critical program challenge during the application process. This challenge should be a significant issue or opportunity within your current or prospective program. Throughout the course of the AACVPR Leadership Development Academy, you will be asked to apply course lessons to address this challenge.

Following the cohort orientation, you will have an opportunity to review and revise their critical program challenge. The final challenge must be submitted for the course director review two weeks after the orientation. The critical program challenge should align with the course's core areas (financial management, quality improvement, human resource leadership, etc.) and offer a clear, measurable opportunity for improvement. Examples of challenges to address through the capstone project include:

• Patient-Related Challenges
  • Low patient adherence: Many patients struggle to maintain consistent participation in rehabilitation programs
  • Patient education and self-management: Difficulty in effectively educating patients about their condition and managing their health at home
• Program Management Challenges
  • Reimbursement challenges: Navigating complex reimbursement systems and securing adequate funding
  • Program utilization: Low enrollment and capacity issues
• Quality Improvement Challenges
  • Standardization of care: Ensuring consistency in treatment protocols and procedures across different programs
  • Collaboration with other healthcare providers: Effective communication and coordination with other departments

Developing a Capstone Project Roadmap

Once you've identified a critical program challenge, you will be tasked with developing a plan to address said challenge through the creation of a capstone project roadmaps. The roadmaps must address the criteria listed below and will be due for Course Director review prior to the first live cohort meeting in April.

Capstone Project Roadmap Criteria

• Problem Statement: A clear and concise definition of the challenge
• Needs Assessment: Identification of root causes and contributing factors
• Goal Setting: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals
• Action Plan: Detailed steps to implement the proposed solution, including timelines, responsibilities, and resources
• Evaluation Plan: Metrics to measure the effectiveness of the implemented plan
• Implementation and Evaluation: Students should implement the improvement plan on a pilot basis and collect data to assess its impact. This phase will allow for adjustments and refinements to the plan

When developing the capstone project roadmap, participants can consider the below examples to address their Critical Program Challenge and incorporate into the Action Plan step above:

• Financial Management: Develop a budget optimization plan to improve program profitability
• Quality Improvement: Implement a patient satisfaction improvement initiative
• Human Resource Leadership: Create a staff development plan to enhance employee engagement and retention
• Patient Engagement: Develop a patient education program to improve adherence to treatment plans
• Data Analysis: Utilize data to identify patterns in patient outcomes and inform program improvements

Project Methodology

Capstone projects may be research, design, or application based. Below are examples participants may consider as they assemble their course application and hone the capstone focus:

• Research-Based Projects
  • Empirical Study: Conduct original research to answer a specific research question
  • Literature Review: Analyze existing research to identify gaps and contribute new insights
  • Case Study: Explore a real-world problem or situation in depth
• Design-Based Projects
  • Product Development: Create a new product or service
  • System Design: Develop a system or process to solve a problem
  • Website or App Development: Build a digital solution
• Application-Based Projects
  • Community Engagement: Address a community need or issue
  • Industry Collaboration: Partner with a local business or organization
  • Internship or Co-op: Gain practical experience in a real-world setting

Completing the Mid-Course Capstone Progress

Once the critical program challenge has been identified and the capstone project roadmap has been completed, progress will begin with developing the final capstone project. The lessons from each module, pre-work activity, and live cohort discussion will help evolve the capstone project over the seven-month course.

To support your success, a Mid-Course Capstone Progress Report is due on May 30, 2025. This report should be no more than 250 words and highlight meaningful progress on the Capstone Project Roadmap. Details should be provided about the capstone project's content and any challenges that have arisen with the development of the project.

Completing the Final Capstone Summary Report

Upon completion, you will submit a Final Capstone Summary Report for course director evaluation, due on August 22, 2025. This report should be no more than 1,000 words and detail the critical program challenge, course applications used to reach its solution and fulfill relevant highlighted components of the capstone rubric.

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