Cost-Estimate Strategy (CES) for Reproductive Health Commodity Management
Purpose:
The Cost-Estimate Strategy (CES) is a planning, budgeting and management tool, which provides information to enable program managers to make better-informed decisions about all aspects of reproductive health commodity management. It offers a mechanism for estimating reproductive health commodity costs under a variety of alternative scenarios to facilitate planning, budgeting and the efficient use of RH funds. Through its survey component, CES guides the collection and analysis of information on commodity availability and management to assist in the improvement of drug and equipment supply systems, identify gaps in drugs and commodities, and to promote rational use of drugs and equipment.
Description:
The tool offers spreadsheet models to estimate program commodity costs—following identification of essential reproductive health commodities—and sample survey instruments to gather information on current practices in reproductive health commodity management. The cost estimation is based on standard treatment guidelines for the selected reproductive health conditions and services. A good knowledge of spreadsheet applications is required to successfully use the CES models.
The CES User’s Guide first provides potential users with basic information about the methodology so that they can determine if the CES is an appropriate tool for them to use. CES consists of two major components: 1. the CES spreadsheets model the costs of commodities for the local situation being reviewed, and 2., step-by-step instructions on how to plan and implement a CES survey of RH commodity management. The CES modeling process is described in two stages and ten detailed steps, and is carried out with the electronic template provided. The CES User’s Guide also includes the Normative CES Model that can be used as a reference source when users develop their own model, and examples of planning and management decisions that can be made using the data generated by the CES model and the Survey.
Developed by:
The Rational Pharmaceutical Management Plus(RPMplus) project, the John Snow, Inc. MotherCare project, and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) for the US Agency for International Development, and published in 2000.
Intended Users:
The CES can be used by a broad range of organizations providing reproductive health services, including those in the public, private or NGO sector.
Application:
The CES was field-tested in Kenya in collaboration with the Ministry of Health's Division of Primary Health Care in 1997. Subsequently, following refinement, it was applied at a provincial hospital in Kenya to develop the RH commodity budget for the maternity ward. In Zambia the CES was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Central Board of Health and the USAID-funded Zambia Integrated Health Project, to estimate the costs of providing RH commodities in 11 project districts and nationally, and to assess service and commodity availability at health facilities and provider practices.
Advantages:
The Cost-Estimate Strategy is a flexible tool. Depending upon the needs of the user, one or more of the costing models may be employed, and, if appropriate, the survey component undertaken. It can be applied to RH programs at national or lower administrative levels, or to an individual health facility.
The spreadsheet costing model facilitates the estimation of costs under alternative "what-if" scenarios (e.g., expanding the range of RH services or the geographical extent to which RH services are offered; potential revisions to standard treatment guidelines; assessing alternative procurement options, etc.).
Cost calculations can be prepared in local currency and in US$.
The CES modeling spreadsheets and survey components are supported by a comprehensive User’s Guide that first describes the purpose of the tool, and then provides a logical presentation of how to complete the costing spreadsheets with helpful graphics and hints. Informative instructions are provided on how to conduct the CES survey to assess reproductive health commodity management issues, with suggestions on how to analyze the data and examples of how to utilise the results for better-informed decision making.
Limitations:
The CES models the costs of drugs, medical supplies and equipment used in the provision of RH services and the treatment of RH conditions. It does not include other costs (personnel, infrastructure, etc).
Recommendations for Users:
Full implementation of the CES methodology requires a range of skills and a real commitment of resources. Ideally a CES implementation team would include members with clinical expertise in reproductive health, pharmaceutical and supply management expertise, operational service delivery skills and analytical skills for examining survey data and identifying clinical, supply, financial and policy implications.
Reports and Publications:
Availability:
The tool is available in English.
Contact:
Robert Burn
Management Sciences for Health
Rational Pharmaceutical Management Plus Project
Arlington, VA 22209
USA
Phone: (703) 248-1608
Fax: (703) 524-7898
Email: rburn@msh.org
To access this tool, please send an email to rburn@msh.org
The Cost-Estimate Strategy (CES) is a planning, budgeting and management tool, which provides information to enable program managers to make better-informed decisions about all aspects of reproductive health commodity management. It offers a mechanism for estimating reproductive health commodity costs under a variety of alternative scenarios to facilitate planning, budgeting and the efficient use of RH funds. Through its survey component, CES guides the collection and analysis of information on commodity availability and management to assist in the improvement of drug and equipment supply systems, identify gaps in drugs and commodities, and to promote rational use of drugs and equipment.
Description:
The tool offers spreadsheet models to estimate program commodity costs—following identification of essential reproductive health commodities—and sample survey instruments to gather information on current practices in reproductive health commodity management. The cost estimation is based on standard treatment guidelines for the selected reproductive health conditions and services. A good knowledge of spreadsheet applications is required to successfully use the CES models.
The CES User’s Guide first provides potential users with basic information about the methodology so that they can determine if the CES is an appropriate tool for them to use. CES consists of two major components: 1. the CES spreadsheets model the costs of commodities for the local situation being reviewed, and 2., step-by-step instructions on how to plan and implement a CES survey of RH commodity management. The CES modeling process is described in two stages and ten detailed steps, and is carried out with the electronic template provided. The CES User’s Guide also includes the Normative CES Model that can be used as a reference source when users develop their own model, and examples of planning and management decisions that can be made using the data generated by the CES model and the Survey.
Developed by:
The Rational Pharmaceutical Management Plus(RPMplus) project, the John Snow, Inc. MotherCare project, and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) for the US Agency for International Development, and published in 2000.
Intended Users:
The CES can be used by a broad range of organizations providing reproductive health services, including those in the public, private or NGO sector.
Application:
The CES was field-tested in Kenya in collaboration with the Ministry of Health's Division of Primary Health Care in 1997. Subsequently, following refinement, it was applied at a provincial hospital in Kenya to develop the RH commodity budget for the maternity ward. In Zambia the CES was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Central Board of Health and the USAID-funded Zambia Integrated Health Project, to estimate the costs of providing RH commodities in 11 project districts and nationally, and to assess service and commodity availability at health facilities and provider practices.
Advantages:
The Cost-Estimate Strategy is a flexible tool. Depending upon the needs of the user, one or more of the costing models may be employed, and, if appropriate, the survey component undertaken. It can be applied to RH programs at national or lower administrative levels, or to an individual health facility.
The spreadsheet costing model facilitates the estimation of costs under alternative "what-if" scenarios (e.g., expanding the range of RH services or the geographical extent to which RH services are offered; potential revisions to standard treatment guidelines; assessing alternative procurement options, etc.).
Cost calculations can be prepared in local currency and in US$.
The CES modeling spreadsheets and survey components are supported by a comprehensive User’s Guide that first describes the purpose of the tool, and then provides a logical presentation of how to complete the costing spreadsheets with helpful graphics and hints. Informative instructions are provided on how to conduct the CES survey to assess reproductive health commodity management issues, with suggestions on how to analyze the data and examples of how to utilise the results for better-informed decision making.
Limitations:
The CES models the costs of drugs, medical supplies and equipment used in the provision of RH services and the treatment of RH conditions. It does not include other costs (personnel, infrastructure, etc).
Recommendations for Users:
Full implementation of the CES methodology requires a range of skills and a real commitment of resources. Ideally a CES implementation team would include members with clinical expertise in reproductive health, pharmaceutical and supply management expertise, operational service delivery skills and analytical skills for examining survey data and identifying clinical, supply, financial and policy implications.
Reports and Publications:
- Set of flyers by RPM:“The Cost-Estimate Strategy”; “The CES Models: Spreadsheets for Assessing the Cost of Reproductive Health Commodities”; “Potential CES Applications”; “CES Field Test in Kenya”; “Implementing the CES in Zambia”.
- MotherCare Matters, Volume 9, No.1—July 2000, “Optimizing Health Funds—Planning for Reproductive Health Services in Kenya and Zambia”, Inga Adams and Robert Burn.
- Burn, Robert. 2000. Forum on the Cost-Estimate Strategy. Published for the U.S. Agency for International Development by the Rational Pharmaceutical Management Project. Arlington, VA: Management Sciences for Health.
Availability:
The tool is available in English.
Contact:
Robert Burn
Management Sciences for Health
Rational Pharmaceutical Management Plus Project
Arlington, VA 22209
USA
Phone: (703) 248-1608
Fax: (703) 524-7898
Email: rburn@msh.org
To access this tool, please send an email to rburn@msh.org