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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Carlos J. Cuellar, MD, MPH, Health Systems Strengthening Project, Abt Associates, Inc, 23 Sulayman Bilbeisi Street, Abdoun, Amman, Jordan, 962-6-5536476 x 300, carlos@phci.com.jo and Oscar La Fuente, MD, PROSALUD, Av. Alemania No 498, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.

There is a growing gap between health care needs and available government and donor resources in developing countries, signaling an increasing role for the private health sector. Private provider networks offer one approach to engaging the private sector and rapidly expanding access to healthcare. PROSALUD is a not-for-profit network of 34 health clinics in Bolivia that has provided high quality, affordable healthcare for more than two decades. The model incorporates elements of franchising and benefits from a long-standing partnership with the public sector. PROSALUD offers both curative and preventive services, including reproductive health and family planning. While initially funded by USAID, the network now receives little donor support, and instead sustains itself largely from revenues generated through user fees. This session will share lessons learned related to the network's three sustainability pillars: 1) institutional development, 2) quality of services, and 3) solid financial base. Institutional development lessons derive from a management structure with systems for human resources, information, and financial management. Service quality lessons rely on human resources and staff supervision, and monitoring and evaluation. For financial sustainability, PROSALUD has learned the importance of marketing tools to plan, design and manage its network. While operational sustainability varies across networked clinics, PROSALUD's cumulative cost-recovery rate has steadily increased over the years -- reaching 80% by 2005. Lessons from PROSALUD's public-private partnership and steady progression towards financial sustainability offer useful insights for others considering establishing a private provider network to address priority healthcare needs.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe the public-private partnership that has contributed to the success of the PROSALUD health network.
• Identify three approaches PROSALUD has used to increase its financial sustainability.

Keywords: Public/Private Partnerships, International Health

Related Web page: www.prosalud.org/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation