Publication: Verification of Performance in Results-Based Financing: The Case of Afghanistan
Loading...
Date
2015-08
ISSN
Published
2015-08
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
The Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan implements a supply-side results-based financing (RBF) scheme to improve the provision of a standardized basic package of health services (BPHS) to its population. Contracting NGOs and “contracting-in” MOPH providers, this RBF program concentrates on high-priority maternal and child health services in the BPHS such as antenatal care (ANC), post-natal care (PNC), delivery care, nutrition, immunization coverage, tuberculosis (TB), as well as quality of care. It includes an intensive data verification method, focusing on both the quantity and the quality of delivered services, which was implemented between 2010 and 2013 by international third party organizations. This verification method was specifically used to ensure that providers reach performance thresholds and disburse performance payments. This case study describes the major characteristics of this RBF verification method. Taking stock of the experience of the MOPH, it aims at generating possible lessons for other RBF initiatives, thereby expanding knowledge and making RBF verification processes more efficient, sustainable and effective. This case study also responds to concerns about the future sustainability of RBF, particularly with regard to the intensive and external nature of verification
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Cashin, Cheryl; Fleisher, Lisa; Hashemi, Tawab. 2015. Verification of Performance in Results-Based Financing: The Case of Afghanistan. Health, Nutrition and Population Discussion Paper;. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/24077 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Verification in Results-Based Financing (RBF) : The Case of the United Kingdom(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-01)Paying health care providers performance based incentive payments is one form of Results-Based Financing (RBF). Verifying that providers have reached set performance thresholds is a crucial part of RBF program implementation and key to maintaining the transparency, fairness, and viability of the programs. The national health service of the United Kingdom has been implementing one of the largest RBF initiatives worldwide, the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), since 2004. The QOF provides incentive payments for primary care providers to improve quality of care and patient experience. Its verification process is well developed and relies on a highly sophisticated clinical information system as the foundation for performance data. This case study describes the process for verification of achievement rates under the QOF and identifies lessons learned applicable to other RBF programs. The case study is part of a broader analysis, which includes multiple country case examples, to expand knowledge about the verification process and practices to address the immediate design and implementation needs of RBF programs.Publication Verification of Performance in Results-Based Financing : The Case of Community and Demand-Side RBF in Rwanda(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-06)Rwanda, led by its Ministry of Health, was the first African country to implement Performance- Based Financing (PBF) nationwide in its health centers and hospitals. The country then went on to pilot RBF interventions at the community level. Rewarding community members who provide and use Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services is an innovative form of Results-Based Financing (RBF). The supply-side of this community PBF scheme focuses on cooperatives of Community Health Workers (CHWs). It pays them to provide selected MCH services and rewards them for the quality of their reporting as well as for good management. Conversely, the demand-side of this community PBF scheme provides women with in-kind incentives when they utilize three selected MCH services in health centers. Verifying the performance of these interventions is an integral part of RBF program implementation. This case study aims to describe the verification mechanisms used in Rwanda, which include monthly verification of the quantity of services provided by the CHWs, quarterly assessment of the quality of the functioning of the CHW cooperatives (including its reporting), verification of the quantity of in-kind incentives distributed in a less systematic way, as well as counter-verification of these three verification processes. This paper presents results of these verification methods, and discusses the obstacles faced, the way they were addressed, and the challenges that are still ahead. This case study is part of a broader analysis, involving multiple country case examples. It endeavors to expand knowledge about verification processes and practices and to address the design and implementation needs of RBF programs.Publication Verification of Performance in Results-Based Financing(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2015-08)Verification differentiates results-based financing (RBF) from other health-financing mechanisms, and it is considered an important process of RBF program design and implementation. Despite the vital role it plays in RBF, not much has been written about verification as a process, and information about different elements of the process, frequency, cost, and direct and indirect effects among others, is scarce. Panama’s Health Protection for Vulnerable Populations Program (PSPV) uses an RBF mechanism to deliver health services to the country’s rural poor. As in many RBF schemes, a major component of the PSPV is the verification of results. This study focuses on PSPV’s verification process, highlights its results and their application, and identifies lessons learned. Such information is useful to policy makers and technical experts interested in or designing RBF mechanisms.Publication ICTs for Health in Africa(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014)Countries in Africa spend significant amounts of their GDP on delivering health services through systems that are often inefficient, costly and lacking in transparency. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have the potential to transform the delivery of health services across the continent in ways that not only increase efficiency but also improve accountability (World Bank, 2004). ICTs present a large, unexploited potential for transforming governance and transparency in the health sector in Africa to achieve 'more health for money spent' and thereby improve the efficiency of health spending, both domestic- and donor-financed. ICTs present a large, unexploited potential for transforming governance and transparency in the health sector in Africa to achieve 'more health for money spent' and thereby improve the efficiency of health spending, both domestic, and donor-financed.Publication Assessing Public Expenditure on Health from a Fiscal Space Perspective(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-02)This document delineates a simple conceptual framework for assessing fiscal space for health and provides an illustrative roadmap for guiding such assessments. The roadmap draws on lessons learned from analyses of seven fiscal space case studies conducted over the past two years in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Rwanda, Tonga, Uganda, and Ukraine. The document also includes a summary of the fiscal space assessments from these seven case studies. Any assessment of fiscal space typically entails an examination of whether and how a government could feasibly increase its expenditure in the short-to-medium term, and do so in a way that is consistent with a country's macroeconomic fundamentals. Although fiscal space generally refers to overall government expenditure, for a variety of reasons there has been growing demand for a framework for analyzing fiscal space specifically for the health sector. This document outlines ways in which generalized fiscal space assessments could be adapted to take a more health-sector specific perspective: what is the impact of broader macroeconomic factors on government expenditures for health? Are there sector-specific considerations that might expand the set of possible options for generating fiscal space for health? Are there country-specific examples of innovative strategies that have been successful in increasing fiscal space for health?
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Guide to the Debt Management Performance Assessment Tool(Washington, DC, 2008-02-05)The purpose of this document is to provide guidance and supplemental information to assist with country assessments of debt management performance, using the Debt Management Performance Assessment (DeMPA) tool. The DeMPA is a methodology used for assessing public debt management performance through a comprehensive set of 15 performance indicators spanning the full range of government Debt Management (DeM) functions. It is based on the principles set out in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank guidelines for public debt management, initially published in 2001 and updated in 2003. It is modeled after the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework for performance measurement of public financial management. The DeMPA has been designed to be a user-friendly tool to undertake an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in government DeM practices. This guide provides additional background and supporting information so that a no specialist in the area of debt management may undertake a country assessment effectively. The guide can be used by assessors in preparing for and undertaking an assessment. It is particularly useful for understanding the rationale for the inclusion of the indicators, the scoring methodology, and the list of supporting documents or evidence required, and the questions that could be asked for the assessment.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication Crime and Violence in Central America : A Development Challenge - Main Report(World Bank, 2011-01-01)Crime and violence are now a key development issue for Central American countries. In three nations El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras crime rates are among the top five in Latin America. This report argues that successful strategies require actions along multiple fronts, combining prevention and criminal justice reform, together with regional approaches in the areas of drug trafficking and firearms. It also argues that interventions should be evidence based, starting with a clear understanding of the risk factors involved and ending with a careful evaluation of how any planned action might affect future options. In addition, the design of national crime reduction plans and the establishment of national cross-sectoral crime commissions are important steps to coordinate the actions of different government branches, ease cross-sectoral collaboration and prioritize resource allocation. Of equal importance is the fact that national plans offer a vehicle for the involvement of civil society organizations, in which much of the expertise in violence prevention and rehabilitation resides. Prevention efforts need to be complemented by effective law enforcement. The required reforms are no longer primarily legislative in nature because all six countries have advanced toward more transparent adversarial criminal procedures. The second-generation reforms should instead help deliver on the promises of previous reforms by: (i) strengthening key institutions and improving the quality and timeliness of the services they provide to citizens; (ii) improving efficiency and effectiveness while respecting due process and human rights; (iii) ensuring accountability and addressing corruption; (iv) increasing inter-agency collaboration; and (v) improving access to justice, especially for poor and disenfranchised groups. Specific interventions reviewed in the report include: information systems and performance indicators as a prerequisite to improve inter-institutional coordination and information sharing mechanisms; an internal overhaul of court administration and case management to create rapid reaction, one-stop shops; the strengthening of entities that provide legal counseling to the poor and to women; and the promotion of alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms and the implementation of community policing programs.Publication Business Ready 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-03)Business Ready (B-READY) is a new World Bank Group corporate flagship report that evaluates the business and investment climate worldwide. It replaces and improves upon the Doing Business project. B-READY provides a comprehensive data set and description of the factors that strengthen the private sector, not only by advancing the interests of individual firms but also by elevating the interests of workers, consumers, potential new enterprises, and the natural environment. This 2024 report introduces a new analytical framework that benchmarks economies based on three pillars: Regulatory Framework, Public Services, and Operational Efficiency. The analysis centers on 10 topics essential for private sector development that correspond to various stages of the life cycle of a firm. The report also offers insights into three cross-cutting themes that are relevant for modern economies: digital adoption, environmental sustainability, and gender. B-READY draws on a robust data collection process that includes specially tailored expert questionnaires and firm-level surveys. The 2024 report, which covers 50 economies, serves as the first in a series that will expand in geographical coverage and refine its methodology over time, supporting reform advocacy, policy guidance, and further analysis and research.Publication The Mexican Social Protection System in Health(World Bank, Washington DC, 2013-01)With a population of 113 million and a per-capita Gross Domestic Product, or GDP of US$10,064 (current U.S. dollars), Mexico is one of the largest and highest-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The country has benefited from sustained economic growth during the last decade, which was temporarily interrupted by the financial and economic crisis. Real GDP is projected to grow 3.8 percent and 3.6 percent in 2012 and 2013, respectively (International Monetary Fund, or IMF 2012). Despite this growth, poverty in the country remains high; with half of the population living below the national poverty line. The country is also highly heterogeneous, with large socioeconomic differences across states and across urban and rural areas. In 2010, while the extreme poverty ratio in the Federal District and the states of Colima and Nuevo Leon was below 3 percent, in Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca it was 25 percent or higher. These large regional differences are also found in other indicators of well-being, such as years of schooling, housing conditions, and access to social services. This case study assesses key features and achievements of the Social Protection System in Health (Sistema de Proteccion Social en Salud) in Mexico, and particularly of its main pillar, Popular Health Insurance (Seguro Popular, PHI). It analyzes the contribution of this policy to the establishment and implementation of universal health coverage in Mexico. In 2003, with the reform of the General Health Law, the PHI was institutionalized as a subsidized health insurance scheme open to the population not covered by the social security schemes. Today, the PHI covers all of its intended affiliates, about 52 million people