The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45108

Lonna Milburn, PhD¹, Nancy Fitch, MD¹, and Susan Vogelsang². (1) International Health Area, Abt Associates, 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 600, Bethesda, MD 20814, 301-718-3139, milburnLM@aol.com, (2) PADCO Inc., 1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W., Suite 170, Washington, DC 20007

Typically, health reform projects in developing countries have been single focused. An experimental approach to health sector reform was recently designed and implemented by USAID in Armenia - that of combining health and social reform in one comprehensive project. The Armenian Social Transition Project creatively combines common elements of reform that best serve the public sector social and health services and the targeted delivery of these services to Armenia's most vulnerable population. Common elements include the HIS systems, patient referral mechanisms, common surveys, procedures for ensuring the delivery and financing of services, use of personal identification and record keeping measures, etc. This presentation identifies those elements of reform that are best implemented with an integrated approach. It uses an evaluative approach to present lessons learned and the merits of using such a reform process in subsequent projects.

Learning Objectives:

(
• Analyzing what aspects of health reform actually fall within the social sector. (
• Determining if USAID's strategy for combining health and social reform is viable. (
• Describe the lessons learned from the experimental integrative sites in Armenia.

Keywords: Health Care Reform, Primary Care

Related Web page: www.padco.am

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.