This document provides an outline and objectives for a lecture on health services planning. It begins with definitions of planning and health services planning, highlighting key components such as defining problems, identifying needs and resources, and setting goals. It describes unique features of health services planning and provides a rationale for planning. The document outlines the scope, features, and types of planning including strategic and tactical planning. The major steps in planning are defined, including situational analysis, selecting priority problems, setting objectives and targets, and identifying obstacles. Examples are provided for each step. An overview of health services planning in Ethiopia is also mentioned.
2. OUTLINE
Defining planning
Unique features of health services planning
Rational for planning
Scope of planning
Features of planning
Types of planning
Steps in planning
Overview of Health Services Planning in Ethiopia
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3. OBJECTIVES
At the end of the class, students will able to:-
Define planning
Acquire planning skill so as to plan
Differentiate types planning.
Describe the basic steps in health services planning.
Appreciate current health services planning situation in Ethiopia.
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4. HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING
Do you have a plan? ……………. Why?
What is health care planning?
Do you thing that health care planning is unique?
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5. PLANNING
Planning,
o Combination of compiling and analyzing information.
o Dreaming up ideas.
o Using logic and imagination and
o Judgment in order to arrive at a decision about what
should be done.
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6. HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING
Process of defining community health problems.
Identifying needs and resources
Establishing priority goals and
Setting out the administrative action needed to reach
those goals.
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7. HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING …
Deciding in advance what is to be done
It is projected course of action for the future.
To plan is to propose a forward programme for guiding
the future affairs of an organization.
Starts with the assumption that the future will be
different from the present.
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8. HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING …
It attempts to determine how the organization can take
advantage of that difference
Planning thus becomes a device for change.
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9. HEALTH SERVICES PLANNING …
The important components of this and other similar definitions
are concepts of:-
o Where are we going (objectives)?
o With what (Resources)?
o When (future)?
o Degree for formalization (explicitness, systematic and method)
about the process
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10. UNIQUE FEATURES OF H/S/PLANNING
Dealing with life-and-death situations.
Most parties operate independently of most of the other
organizations involved in the provision of health care
Elasticity in the level of demand presents a challenge to
health planners
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11. UNIQUE FEATURES …
Healthcare also is characterized by a wide variety of different
customers and the nature of these customers varies
End-user may not make the consumption decision or pay for the
service provided
The diversity of functions that often characterize healthcare
providers
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12. THE RATIONALE FOR PLANNING
Importance of planning is unquestionable in every aspects of
human life. It helps:-
Coping with future uncertainty and change
Focus attention on objectives
It obtains economical operation
Provides performance standards and facilitates control
Foreseeing and identifying potential risks.
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13. SCOPE OF PLANNING
3.1 What is the target client/customer?
Population Institution
Programme
What the plan intends to address should be clearly defined
3.2 What is the target geographical region or area?
Village/kebele District/Zonal
Region
At what level you are planning has to be clearly defined
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14. SCOPE OF CON’T…
3.3 For what level of comprehensiveness should services be
planned?
The degrees of comprehensiveness to be determined as that of the
following:-
Environmental Determinants Comprehensive Health Care
Diet-sanitary preparation of food preventive, promotive,
Avoidance of harmful life style curative, rehabilitative
Housing- sanitary housing condition
Unpolluted environment health care
Freedom from stress
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15. 4. FEATURES OF PLANING
4.1. A Good Plan Should Give
Clear vision/mission, goal and objectives ???
A clear picture of the tasks to be accomplished
The resources needed to accomplish the task.
In terms of human, material, financial and time resources.
4.2 Planning Takes Place at All Levels
Planning takes place at any level in health system
Planning takes place continually, it is cyclic/spiral process
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16. 4. FEATURES OF PLANING …
Planning methods can be applied to :-
A large programme at national level
Example –Malaria control programme
Small one - at village level
Example –construction of community health post
4.3 Planning must be Collective Undertaking
It requires the participation of:-
Different sector/ inter- sectoral collaboration
Professionals (from health and other sectors)
Community/Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)
Government/Party
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17. 5. TYPES OF PLANNING
5.1. STRATEGIC PLANNING
Often referred as allocative planning
–Normally five years or more. E.g. HSDP, SPM, GTP, MDGs …
Always consider the SWOT Analysis- tools for strategic planning
Figure 1: SWOT analysis: a frame work for selecting strategies SWOT
matrix Internal External
.
Positive Strengthen Opportunities
Negative Weakness Threats
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18. 5. TYPES OF PLANNING …
Strengths may be considered as availability of resources, trained
human power, road and etc.
Weaknesses include lack of managerial talent and obsolete facilities.
Threats include adverse cultural believes towards modern medical
practice and growing cost of essential drugs.
Opportunities are clear and supportive government policies and
presence of a functional health committee in the communities.
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19. E. g. World Health Organization (WHO) Roll Back
Malaria (RBM) intervention in Ethiopia
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21. 5. TYPES OF PLANNING …
5.2. TACTICAL/OPERATIONAL PLANNING
May be referred to as activity planning.
It covers a short period of time medium term-usually one-year
Developed for organizations in the areas of production,
marketing, personnel, finance and plan facilities.
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22. MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN STRATEGIC …
Area of differences Strategic Planning Tactical Planning
Individuals involved Developed mainly by upper-
level management
Developed mainly by lower
level management
Facts on which to base
planning
Facts are generally difficult to
gather
Facts are generally easy to
gather
Amount of details in plans Plans contain relatively little
detail
Plans contain substantial
amount of detail
Length of time plans cover Plans cover long periods of
time
Plans cover short periods of
time
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23. 6. STEPS IN PLANNING
In the planning process, there are six steps:
Situational analysis
Selecting priority problems
Setting objectives and targets
Identifying potential obstacles and limitations
Designing the strategies
Writing the plan
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24. 6.1. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
Is used to improve the understanding of the current situation.
This is for two reasons:-
It provides a common reference point for the rest of the
planning process.
It allows the selection of priority areas of concern for planning.
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25. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
Content of situational analysis
6.1.1 Population characteristics
Study size, composition and distribution of the population
Identify target groups
Determine population size by category
Estimate overall population growth rate
Determine religious, educational and cultural characteristics
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26. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
Content of situational analysis …
6.1.2 Review area characteristics and infrastructure
- Geographical and topographical situation
- Infrastructure - Transport modes and routes
- Communications - Water supply and sanitation facilities
- Utilities-including distribution of main electricity
- Socio-economic situation
- Change in pattern of income distribution
- Public and private sector structures
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27. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
Content of situational analysis …
6.1.3 Policy and political environment
Consider national health policy and programmes and relate it to
actual situation in your own area
Analyze political environment
6.1.4 Analysis health needs
Information on health needs is a basic prerequisite for a plan.
However, the issue of measuring health needs is a COMPLEX ONE.
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28. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
ACTIVITY 2:
Discuss, in groups, the difference and relationship
between objective (real) health needs and subjective (felt)
health needs, with reference to your area.
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29. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
Content of situational analysis …
The main categories of health need information are;-
Medically perceived health needs and
Community-perceived health needs.
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30. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
Medically perceived health needs
Morbidity rates - Incidence
Prevalence - Morality rates
Disability rates
General population mortality rates
Age specific one's (such as IMR etc.)
Non-illness related needs
e.g.: Antenatal care, family planning
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31. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
Community perceived health needs
§ These are harder to define.
§ Particularly at the national level, often expressed in terns of service
deficiencies rather than health indicators.
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32. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
6.1.5 Analyze health services
Analyze organizational structure and functions of health services
- Service facilities - Service utilization
- Service gaps
- Identify limitations/bottle necks in organizational structure.
6.1.6 Analyze resources
Financial resources - Personnel
Material/equipment - Space/building
Time - Information
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33. 6.1. SITUATIONALANALYSIS …
6.1.7. Review past implementation experience
Find out information or experiences form activities implemented in
the past
Success
Short comings
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34. 6.2. WHAT IS A PROBLEM?
A problem is a difficulty or obstacle seen to exist between a present
situation and desired future objectives.
It is useful to group problems under common headings
example: 6.2.1. Environmental problems
Poor sanitation - lack of safe drinking water
Over crowding
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35. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? …
6.2.2. Disease or Health problems
Malaria Respiratory Diseases
Diarrhea Malnutrition
6.2.3. Socio-economic problems
Low per capital income
6.2.4. Illiteracy
Poor equity in distribution of health services
Cultural and religious habits
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36. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? …
6.2.5. Health service problems
In sufficient drugs and materials
Lack of qualified personnel
Difficulty in visiting outlying areas
Making such groups of problems helps seeking common solutions.
However there are always discrepancies between the health needs
(problems that need to be solved) and available resources.
So what???????????????????
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37. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? …
o Hence, the planner is obliged to take priority problems first.
o Priority problems are often selected by setting selection criteria and
giving scores for each problem according to these criteria.
Magnitude of the problem
Degree of severity (consequent suffering and disability)
Feasibility-in terms of cost effectiveness
Social acceptability of intervention.
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38. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? …
Sustainability in terms of resources and organizational capacity
Community concern
Political and social acceptability with consideration of equity
Consistence with multi - sectoral approach
Consistence with governmental planning and budgetary system
Clear defined system with donors (if linkage exists)
Ranking which health problems they think were most important.
This can be done by using criteria on five point scale .
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39. WHAT IS A PROBLEM? …
5 points-very high
4 points-high
3 points-moderate
2 points-low
1 point-very low
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41. 6.3. SETTING OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS
What are the differences between these related terms which are
important in rational planning?
Goals, Aims, Objectives and Targets
DISCUSS IN YOUR GROUP
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42. 6.3. SETTING OBJECTIVES AND …
Goals, aims, objectives and targets are all ways of describing the
desired direction of a service.
They differ in terms of breadth and detail.
Goals:-
Are broad statements.
There is generally one goal for a service.
This might be:' Health for all by 2000 and beyond.'
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43. 6.3. SETTING OBJECTIVES AND …
Aims:-
There are a number of aims relating to the goal.
They are specific to particular health problems.
One might be: 'To raise the nutritional status of women
and children.‘
To vaccinate all under 5 children.
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44. 6.3. SETTING OBJECTIVES AND …
Objective:-
For each programme aim, there may be a number of
objectives which are specified in measurable terms.
An objective for the above aim might be:
' To ensure that 95 % of children are adequately
nourished.'
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45. 6.3. SETTING OBJECTIVES AND …
Targets:-
For each objective, there may be various targets which specify
various points on the way to the attainment of the objective.
They are defined in relation to a point in time.
For example, a target for the above objective might be:
' To ensure that 95 % of children are adequately nourished by
2007.'
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46. 6.3. SETTING OBJECTIVES AND …
If the programme is made to have an objective and target, it must be
SMART:-
S –Specific M -Measurable
A –Achievable R -Realistic
T -Time specific/Time framed.
e.g. By the end of 2008, 95% of eligible children will be vaccinated
against ten target diseases in Asella town.
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47. 6.4. IDENTIFYING OBSTACLES AND
LIMITATIONS
6.4.1. Resources:-
People - Lack of interest - Equipment – not available
- No skilled people - expensive (if…)
Money - No budget - Time – people may not have time
Information - Hard to find - Statistics not available
6.4.2. Environmental obstacles:-
Geographical features
Climate
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48. 6.4. IDENTIFYING OBSTACLES AND …
Technical difficulties :- Related to the technical development of
society,
For instance, an electric centrifuge is useless in a health center
where there is no electricity.
Social factors :-Which are the most serious obstacles.
There may be customs or taboos that operate against the plan.
People may be prejudiced against new ideas, or there may be laws
or regulations (good or bad) that prevent certain activities
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50. EXAMPLE OF ANALYZING OBSTACLES AND
LISTING POSSIBLE REMEDY
Deficiency Underlying obstacle Possible remedy
Incomplete house
spraying in malaria
control programme
Lack of treatment
after diagnosis
Staff shortage, lack
of transport for
spraying team
Hospital OPD over
load inadequate
drug supply
Involve the
community;
Establish peoples'
pharmacy
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51. 6.5. DESIGNING THE STRATEGIES
They are different ways for achieving the pre- determined objectives
and targets.
Choosing the best strategy again entails analyzing resources
available and needed for each strategy.
The potential strategies often includes;-
technology to be applied,
procedures to be used and
defining the role of communities and other sectors.
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52. 6.6. WRITING THE PLAN …
The purposes of writing the plan are:-
To request funds or resources from the government or funding
agencies.
For monitoring and evaluating the implementation process by all
concerned.
A plan can be written in several ways. Some organizations may
require plans to be written on specific way.
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53. 6.6. WRITING THE PLAN …
An outline of writing the plan may include:
Summary
Problem statement
Objectives and targets
Strategies and activities
Resources needed and how they are going to be utilized specify
budget required
Monitoring and evaluation (periodic and end of programme
assessment, how, by whom, when, indicators of effectiveness)
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54. GANTT CHART
This is a bar graph with time on horizontal axis and the
resources/activities to be scheduled on the vertical axis.
The main weakness of the GANTT chart, it lacks information on
interrelation of tasks to be performed.
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56. WHY PLANS FAIL?????
§ A lack of understanding of the different steps of the planning process.
§ Concerned parties not participated or contributed in the planning
process.
§ Management expects that plans will be realized with little effort.
§ Too much attempted at once
§ Failing to operate by the plan
§ Inadequate input in planning
§ Unforeseen (unexpected) changes in the environment.
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57. OVERVIEW OF PLANNIN PROCESS IN
ETHIOIPIA
In Ethiopia, the health sector at all levels will be governed by the
“ONE PLAN” principle in the planning process.
This principles means:
All levels in the health sector will have one strategic plan and one
annual plan.
Strategic and annual plans will consider both national as well as
local priorities.
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58. Figure 2: The Planning Process at Different Levels
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60. One Plan, One Budget And One Report
Concepts and definitions
Harmonization is the coordination of activities amongst all
stakeholders to reduce the transaction cost of delivering aid and
services.
Alignment means “lined up with government priorities”. the
government and donors are aligned in their commitment to HSDP-
IV and its priorities.
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61. Concepts and definitions …
Harmonization
relates to increased coordination
of the activities
Three underlying ideas:
common arrangements
simplification of procedures
sharing of information
Alignment
lining up with government
priorities and systems
Partners are expected to:
streamline their plans and
programs with the priorities of
the government
rely on the government’s
systems and procedures
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63. Individual reading Assignment
READ THE DETAILS OF, three of them related to harmonization
and alighment’systems in ethiopia’
“ONE PLAN, All levels in the health sector will have one strategic plan
and one annual plan from top to botom level
Health sector tranformation plan.
ONE BUDGET . There only one budget system from top to botom GTP- 5-6%
ONE REPORT”there is only one reports system from HEALTH POST TO
FMOH that’s HMIS systems.
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64. Group Assignment
Group 1: Health communication decision making
Group 2: Leadership in health care
Group 3: Health monitoring and evaluation
Instructions:
a) Power point presentation (15-20 minutes)
b) Micro soft word document submission with times
roman font style and 1.5 spacing
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65. REFERENCES
1. Amsalu F., Yigzaw K., Alemayehu M., Zeleke A., Kassa. , Kahsay
H. et al. Health Team Work and Team Training : For the Ethiopian
Health Center Team. University of Gondar, 2005.
2. FMOH. Performance Monitoring and Quality Improvement
Manual for the Ethiopian Health Sector: August, 2008.
3. WHO. On Being in Change. A Guide to management in Primary
health care, 2002.
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