The SAFE for Health Institutions Evaluation Tool
An institutionally comprehensive framework of social accountability standards for health care service delivery that identify key considerations, aspirations and expectations.
Purpose
To provide a practical tool that can assess capacity and direct transformation towards an equity-oriented social accountability health policy strategy in health care service delivery. The evaluation tool breaks provides a framework of social accountability standards to consider in the key operations of health care service delivery institution like hospitals or medical clinics.
How to Use the Tool
The evaluation tool can be used for self-assessment or as a peer review method (SAFE for Health Institutions Peer Review). Transformation towards a social accountability framework is a journey beyond a ‘pass or fail’ evaluation or a ‘tik box’ exercise. The evaluation tool is quite comprehensive and can be used by section or in its entirety.
Who should use the tool?
The SAFE for Health Institutions Evaluation Tool is intended for any health care service delivery setting such as hospitals, Emergency Departments or medical clinics. Health administrators, managers, healthcare leaders, health professionals, researchers, politicians and community organizations aspiring to transform towards greater health equity and social justice will find this tool useful.
Tool Development
The SAFE for Health Institutions Team engaged in a multi-part and multi-methods methodology that included a modified Delphi process, a review of high impact social accountability literature, developmental evaluations and a tool pilot. The framework of social accountability standrads builds on the extensive evidence-based knowledge and positive impacts of applying of a social accountability strategy in health professional education.
What is Included in the Tool?
The evaluation tool includes background evidence for a social accountability strategy, implementation instructions and a framework of 253 comprehensive standards. The standards are organized into 4 major sections that capture broad and critical concepts, 17 key component reflective questions that address key themes, 39 aspirations that describe objective standards and, 197 indicators linked to specific, expected actions. There is also a comprehensive glossary of terms frequently encountered in social accountability and related works.
Major Sections of the SAFE for Health Institutions Evaluation Tool
- Who does the health institution serve and what are their needs?
Institutional Focus
- Health needs assessment
- Description of who a health institution serves
- Identification of priority health needs, social needs and health inequities
- Awareness of current healthcare system resources that address needs
- How does social accountability help organize the health institution?
Institutional Focus
- Vision, mission, purpose and strategic planning
- Partnerships and community engagement
- Governance and decision making
- Resource management
- How does the health institution deliver healthcare services, direct research and engage in health professional education?
Institutional Focus
- Human resource planning and continual professional development
- Healthcare service delivery
- Research
- Involvement with health professional education programs
- Has the health institution’s activities transformed the healthcare system and impacted the needs of those it serves?
Institutional Focus
- Healthcare system and key stakeholder transformation
- Impact of research
- Impact of involvement with health professional education programs
- Impact on priority health needs, social needs and health inequities
Example Set of Social Accountability Standards
Major Section 1 – Who does the health institution serve and what are their needs?
If you would like to learn more about the SAFE for Health Institutions Evaluation Tool or to request a copy please contact us at info@safeforhealthinstitutions.org.