Author/s: Bruno Meessen, Claude Sekabaraga, Agnes Soucat
This article discusses Performance-Based Financing (PBF) as a means to remedy typical problems faced by the health care systems in low-income countries and accelerate the progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). PBF is a form of Results-Based Financing (RBF) that has been implemented on a large scale in several sub-Saharan African countries. The scheme has brought positive results and has been adopted as a national strategy in Rwanda and Burundi.
In this report, the World Health Organization maps out what countries can do to modify their financing systems so they can move more quickly towards this goal - universal coverage - and sustain the gains that have been achieved.
Chapter 4 focuses on the efficient use of financial, material and human resources with the objective of improving health outcomes and achieving a universal coverage. The authors see Results-Based Financing (RBF) as one of the instruments to address the inefficiency of health systems.
Results-Based Financing (RBF) has been defined as "a cash payment or non-monetary transfer made to a national or subnational
government, manager, provider, payer or consumer of health services after predefined results have been attained
and verified. Payment is conditional on measurable actions being undertaken." (www.rbfhealth.org). RBF is an umbrella
term because the definition is general and characterizes various programs in many countries. Different labels exist for
essentially the same concept or are associated with different incentives and payment arrangements.
This essay and glossary describes how different terms are used and points out significant distinctions among types of RBF programs.
Author/s: Ann Canavan, Jurriën Toonen, Riku Elovainio
In this literature review, we will explore incentive based approaches adopted in developing countries over the past decade, with a focus on the contribution of Performance Based Financing (PBF) to productivity, quality of health care and ultimately on the performance of health providers.
Results-Based Financing (RBF) has been defined as "a cash payment or non-monetary transfer made to a national or sub-national government, manager, provider, payer or consumer of health services after predefined results have been attained and verified. Payment is conditional on measurable actions being undertaken." (www.rbfhealth.org). RBF is an umbrella term because the definition is general and characterizes various programs in many countries. Different labels exist for essentially the same concept or are associated with different incentives and payment arrangements.
Author/s: Yogita Mumssen, Lars Johannes, and Geeta Kumar
Developing country governments and the development aid community are acutely aware of the need to find more effective ways to improve basic living conditions for the poor, as traditional approaches of delivering public support have not always led to the results intended. 'Results-based financing' (RBF) instruments, which tie the disbursement of public funding to the achievement of pre-agreed results, are now recognized as one important piece of the aid delivery puzzle. The aim of these instruments is to enhance the effectiveness of public funding.
Author/s: Jon Christianson, Sheila Leatherman, Kim Sutherland
This report updates a 2007 review of international studies which examine the effect of financial incentives on the behaviour of healthcare organisations and individuals in relation to quality of care they delivery to consumers. The authors use rigorous search strategies to highlight the key empirical studies which examine the links between financing incentives, health care provider and quality improvements.
Performance-based payment (PBP) is increasingly advocated as a way to improve the performance of health systems in low-income countries. This study conducted a systematic review of the current literature on this topic and found that while it is a popular term, there was little consensus about the meaning or the use of the concept of PBP. Significant weaknesses in the current evidence base on the success of PBP initiatives were also found.
This report consists of an overview of systematic reviews and a critical appraisal of four evaluations of RBF schemes in the health sector in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).
Ten systematic reviews that met the inclusion criteria for this report were summarised. In addition, four evaluations of RBF schemes in LMIC were critically appraised, including financial incentives targeted at patients, individual providers, organisations, and governments.