A Systematic Approach to the Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Integrated Health Services

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This paper focuses on integrated health services but takes into account how health services are influenced by the health system, managed by programs, and made up of interventions. The researchers apply the principles in existing comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks in order to outline a systematic approach to the M&E of integration for the country level. The approach is grounded by first defining the country-specific health challenges that integration is intended to affect. Priority points of contact for care can directly influence health, and essential packages of integration for all major client presentations need to be defined. Logic models are necessary to outline the plausible causal pathways and define the inputs, roles and responsibilities, indicators, and data sources across the health system. Finally, we recommend improvements to the health information system and in data use to ensure that data are available to inform decisions, because changes in the M&E function to make it more integrated will also facilitate integration in the service delivery, planning, and governance components.
Authors: Heidi W Reynolds and Elizabeth G Sutherland

(Source: TechNet21)

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