Most of BlueStar clinics deliver the complete package of reproductive health (RH) services, including family planning (FP) counselling and gynecological check-ups and treatment, ultra sounds, MSP, MSMP, IUD, pregnancy care, and a variety of FP products and services.
To access the nearest clinic (with address, phone number, name of health staff) clients can connect to a call center or search the BlueStar website. Community Health Workers (CHWs) also disseminate information about the location and services provided by clinics, and promote the Intrauterine Device (IUD) insertions plus cervical cancer screening package.
To better provide services to underserved populations, BlueStar networks private clinics in rural and peri-urban settings. Furthermore, a number of voucher schemes with the FOC services (e.g., free FP counselling and gynecological check-ups, free IUDs and visual inspection with acid acetic (VIA)-early uterus cancer screening) have been implemented to reach the poor and near poor.
These programs have been combined with mobile health services. From 2009 to 2011, the mobile services have delivered free RH services to 109,898 underserved women in rural areas of targeted project sites. In addition to providing care through its franchise clinics and mobile outreach, BlueStar also hosts an RH information page, "Client Education", on its website and allows individuals to call the phone number 1900 571 255 for support over the phone.
All franchisees/providers joining the network undergo training on a series of clinical and non-clinical courses, including Infection prevention (IP), MSP, MSMP, VIA, IUD, FP counseling, service quality, and emergency preparedness, among others. Over 1000 providers have thus been trained and certified. Once certified, the franchisee agreement mandates that every BlueStar clinic pay a franchisee fee of USD $120/year that is discounted annually based on location and clinic situation.
The BlueStar clinics are regularly monitored to ensure quality of client care and compliance with national clinical standards. Clinics are refurbished and updated as required and are provided with support to ensure ongoing quality compliance.
The total number of franchisees has increased from 32 in 2008 to 300 in 2011. This expansion of the BlueStar franchise network has also resulted in greater utilization of its safe reproductive healthcare and family planning services, from 95,291 clients in 2008 to 994,270 in 2011, a more than tenfold increase.
Innovation has been applied in the project
- Public Private Partnership is promoted to improve efficiency, effectiveness and equity in the provision of healthcare services.
- Initiative sexual reproductive health vouchers targeting low income population to improve client access to quality services
- Revolutionized m-Health through SMS service to disseminate essential health information, refer clients by mobile phone in a confidential and convenient manner.
- BlueStar clinics compete each year for the BlueStar Award of Best Practice and ceremonies are held for the Northern and Southern areas
BlueStar service delivery todate will prevent an estimated:
- 153,055 unintended pregnancies
- 164,662 unsafe abortions
- 163 maternal deaths
(Note: estimated by MSI impact calculator tool)
Moving forward: With the success of BlueStar program, MSI Vietnam will continue to expand the network of franchising clinics and strengthen the quality network to make it more sustainable and integral part of the national health sector.
