Real World Implementation Challenges: Scaling-up Performance-Based Financing in Rwanda 2006-2008 CERDI Conference, 17-18 Dec, 2009 Session 3: ‘from pilot to national policy’ György Fritsche, HDNHE, the WB Rwanda Health Center RBF/PerformanceBased Financing (PBF) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Supply Side Intervention Demand-side phenomena Targeting Health Facilities that are made more autonomous Regular, significant incentives reach front line health workers District Support Functions incentivized (monitoring volume and quality: internal controls) District PBF Steering Committee incentivized Central MOH PBFsupport department incentivized Content Context Process and Actors Implementation Results Challenges to Scaling Up The Perfect Implementation Model Context Barrier to Access Services leading to low utilization 0.3/c/yr: Very poor population: one third of the population lives on less than $0.25 per day and 57% of the population lives on less than $0.45 per day Poor Health Indicators (2005): MMR 750/100,000; U-5 Mortality Rate 152/1,000 and U-1 Mortality Rate 82/1,000 Inefficient Utilization of Existing Services: a study in Gicumbi (2005) documented less than 2 services/nurse per hour leading to an uptake of 0.8 services/capita/yr (curative and preventive combined) Actors and Parallel Events 3 PBF Pilots (Cordaid and HNI 2001-2005 and BTC 2005) Strong GOR leadership: Inclusion of PBF in National Health Strategic Plan 2005-2009 WB – HIPC USAID – interest in PBF for HIV services Lowering the barriers to access: CBHI – scaling up started January 2006 Mobilizing decentralized government: Imihigo Process The WB “roll-out study” Implementation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Strengthening existing Coordination Mechanism (TWG) Information Technology solution to data collection and payment flows Creating new Coordination Mechanism to bridge the gap between policy and implementation: the Extended Team Approach Trainings Continuous Technical Assistance to decentralized authorities 1. Strengthening Existing Coordination Mechanism (TWG) Regular and frequent meetings Agenda setting Effective documentation and dissemination of proceedings 2. IT solutions to Data Collection and Payment Flows Web site www.pbfrwanda.org.rw Web application for data entry and data retrieval (invoices) Server located with an internet service provider in country A ‘real time database’ is created from the district level onward: Payment Orders can be generated easily Internet Application Access Application Optional Internet Local Copy of MySQL PBF database Excel Pivot Tables and Graphs PBFBDD MySQL (ISP) www.pbfrwanda.org.rw INSERT GRAPHIC TO ADD MAP MAP IS 6.17” TALL Access to data through the website Data entry menu Data entry is easy Quarterly district invoices 3. Creating New Coordination Mechanisms: the ET The Extended Team Approach is Bridging the Gap between Policy and Implementation: 11 international agencies 3 MOH departments Meeting once per month last Thursday of each month ½ day, careful agenda setting and effective information dissemination. Minutes available on website Retreats for capacity building (Excel Pivot Tables and Graphs) Training of Trainers in PBF 4. Trainings Using ET mechanism to Train a Cadre of National Trainers in PBF First start 2006 (after first wave of trainings) Re-launched second half of 2007 Jan-March 2008: 946 health workers trained through 50 trainings April 2008: seven Phase-II districts: 356 health workers trained through 13 trainings 5. Continuous TA to the Decentralized Authorities Quarterly District PBF Steering Committee Meetings Extended Team members: District PBF Focal points present in the District PBF Steering Committees Assisting in control activities Assisting in the quarterly quality counter-verification exercises Assisting in the restitution of community client survey results Results: Institutional Deliveries Community Client Survey 3Q08: The BIG news: RBF/PBF as a powerful method to increase also the quality of services The BIG news: RBF/PBF as a powerful method to increase also the quality of services Challenges to Scaling Up 1. 2. 3. 4. Solution to Data Collection and Validation Web application Coordination challenges TWG and ET mechanisms Technical Assistance to the Central MOH and the Decentralized Authorities TWG ET mechanism District PBF Steering Committees Credible Performance Results Use decentralized authorities (Min Local Admin; MOH) with strong TA support initially for internal control (ex ante) Use NGOs as part of quorum in Decentralized District Level PBF Steering Committee, and for transparency (ex ante) Use performance frameworks at all levels (Health Facility; Steering Committee; District Hospital; Central MOH) Mix of third-party and transparent external verification mechanisms (ex post) Hogwood and Gunn’s “Perfect Implementation Model” Perfect Implementation Model’, in Hogwood, B., Gunn, I., (1984) ‘Policy analysis for the real world’, Oxford University Press 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The circumstances external to the implementing agency do not impose crippling constraints; That adequate time and sufficient resources are made available to the program; That the required combination of resources is actually available; That the policy to be implemented is based on a valid theory of cause and effect; That the relationship between cause and effect is direct and that there are few if any intervening links; …Ten Preconditions for a Successful Top Down Implementation 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. That dependency relationship is minimal; That there is understanding of, and agreement on objectives; That tasks are fully specified in correct sequence; That there is perfect communication and coordination, and Those in authority can demand and obtain perfect compliance. In Rwandan PBF, the MOH was confronted with: No Negative Positive 1 Crippling circumstances 2 Time not adequate * Resources abundant 3 * Required combination of resources were available 4 * Policy to be implemented based on valid cause and effect 5 Many intervening links between cause and effect 6 Strong dependency relationship 7 No full agreement on objectives Relationship between cause and effect is direct * Understanding of objectives In Rwandan PBF, the MOH was confronted with: No Negative Positive 8 * Tasks were fully specified in correct sequence 9 * Perfect Communication and Coordination 10 * Those in authority can demand and obtain perfect compliance