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Rapid Health Facility Assessment 2.1 (R-HFA) 
Summary
The Rapid Health Facility Assessment (R-HFA) was developed in 2006 by the Child Survival Technical Support (CSTS+) project
in collaboration with MEASURE Evaluation and a panel of experts from US PVOs, USAID, and other cooperating agencies.
It was then piloted by eight CORE Group PVOs in two stages in 2006-2007, with guidance from CSTS and MEASURE Evaluation.
The sampling and other instructions were refined collaboratively with the World Bank in 2007 for use in their Malaria
Booster Initiative. The R-HFA was originally specifically designed for use by NGOs within the Child Survival
and Health Grants Program (CSHGP), but as the Malaria Booster Initiative experience has shown,
it is quite suitable for use by District Health Medical Teams (DHMTs).
It is a relatively rapid instrument for measuring a small set of key indicators to give a "balanced scorecard"
for MNCH services at the primary health care level (including an optional module for use with CHWs
for community outreach services). It identifies key bottlenecks to quality service delivery.
View the R-HFA Elluminate Information Session
Key areas of information provided by R-HFA
- Availability of a minimal level of infrastructure, supplies, and medications (the determination of what constitutes minimal level is based on the ITWG core indicators).
- Adherence to national (IMCI) protocols for assessment, classification, and management of children under five.
- Caretaker knowledge of how to administer drugs received for common childhood illnesses (i.e., diarrhea, malaria, and/or breathing difficulty)
- OPTIONAL: Community health worker performance assessed through coverage of services and maintenance of up-to-date registers; availability of basic resources (equipment, supplies); and key processes (supervision, training) that prepare them for service provision in communities
Uses of R-HFA
- To assess quality of MNCH service delivery
- To assess key bottlenecks in MNCH service delivery at primary level facilities (A simple Excel data entry and analysis program will be available by Jan., 2008 that rapidly produces graphical data for decision makers, in order to facilitate data use for action)
- To strengthen project - DHMT relations
Limitations of R-HFA
- Only focuses on primary facilities (and their associated CHWs)
- Only focuses on MNCH services
Most relevant program contexts
- NGO or CA projects for strengthening basic MNCH services
- District Health Medical Teams
When to use R-HFA
- Baseline assessment and endline evaluation of MNCH projects
- Subset of indicators can be used for monitoring and supervision
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Jul-05-08
