Clinics and Hospitals
Private health providers are the backbone of the private health sector, so visits to private health facilities, and interviews with owners and practitioners, are critical to a private sector assessment. This set of questions is intended for larger practices, primarily clinics and hospitals. Key informants typically include the owner of the facility, as well as one or more practitioners. If there are both male and female practitioners, interview both and probe for gender differences. The interview should capture information about health services offered and fees charged, provider and client characteristics (including sex), and business practices and constraints. View and download questions.
Individual Practitioners
In many countries, individual private practitioners make up the majority of private health facilities. These are typically solo practitioners operating out of a small clinic, or possibly a home office. This set of questions is intended for these owner/practitioners. The interview should capture information about health services offered and fees charged, provider and client characteristics, and business practices as well as constraints. Note if/how the answers to questions vary by sex of provider. View and download questions.
Labs and Diagnostic Centers
Private laboratories and diagnostic centers are an important aspect of the private health sector and are typically included in an assessment. Given the importance of testing and determining viral load for HIV, labs are particularly relevant for an HIV-focused assessment. Teams will want to identify existing labs and diagnostic centers and ascertain what services they offer, as well as understand their relationship with health providers (private and public), in terms of referrals and reporting requirements. View and download questions.
Pharmacies
In many developing countries, retail pharmacies are often the first source of care, given their accessibility and hours of operation. In addition to quantifying the number of pharmacies (and to the extent possible, drug vendors or retailers), it is important to visit pharmacies, to observe what products are available at what prices; and to conduct interviews with pharmacy staff to understand services offered as well as levels of training, referral practices, and any challenges in procuring or distributing drugs or products. View and download questions.
Service Delivery NGOs and Provider Networks
Service delivery NGOs have a long track record of providing essential health services, particularly reproductive health, family planning and HIV/AIDS services. The role of private provider networks and franchises has grown over the past decade, securing their importance as providers of key services and products. This set of questions is similar to those developed for private clinics, with the addition of questions directed to the network manager or franchisor, if one exists. The interview should capture information about health services offered and fees charged, provider and client characteristics, and business practices and constraints from a clinic perspective as well as an overall network/franchise perspective. View and download questions.