Health System Assessment (HSA) Approach (v3.): A How-to Manual

This approach has a structured, indicator-based methodology for comprehensive assessment of a country’s health system. It synthesizes information—from document reviews, in-country stakeholder interviews, and site visits—to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of a wide range of health system components and transform the findings into specific recommendations and strategies across the six health system functions. In addition, the manual itself may serve as an educational and reference tool for health systems issues and health systems strengthening.

The manual can be used to:

Enable users to assess a country’s health system, possibly during development of a health sector plan or a program. This assessment will diagnose the relative strengths and weaknesses of the health system, prioritize key areas for strengthening, and identify potential solutions or recommendations.
Inform all stakeholders—both public and private—about the basic elements and functions of health systems for all health systems stakeholders.
Assist users to conceptualize key health systems challenges and to engage in a process for systematically gathering key information and engaging key stakeholders in order to identify solutions to priority problems