Health Financing & Primary Health Care Development Project

closed

The project will support implementing Armenia's health financing and primary health care reform. Its objectives are to: 1) improve primary health care quality and efficiency; 2) improve efficiency, transparency, and targeting of public health spending; and 3) mobilize communities to take an active role in defining local health care priorities and sustaining basic health care services. The project consists of 3 components: strengthening the primary health care system, strengthening the health financing system, and project management. The primary health care system will be strengthened by: 1) training and retraining primary health care staff, providing technical assistance for curriculum development and a business plan to include indicators and benchmarks monitoring service improvements and incentives for staff; 2) introducing practice guidelines for preventive health care, including screening and diagnostic procedures, medical case management, practice management, and reporting to national and local health authorities; and 3) improving the infrastructure and equipment in selected PHC facilities. Health financing reform will: 1) support the design and establishment of a State Health Agency and Health Management Information System, the latter consisting of the design of new medical and financial reporting forms, and automation of data collection and analysis, payments and accounting; 2) improve basic benefits package methodology; and 3) develop provider payment methodology, including standardizing contracts, monitoring performance, and implementing a plan to legalize and regulate private payments to health care workers.