Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI)

Programs

Tinh chi em (Sisterhood)

last updated Jul 31, 2012

Overview

Implementing organization: 
Provincial Health Department
Implementation Partner(s): 
Marie Stopes International Vietnam
Legal Status: 
Public-private partnership
Year Launched: 
2007
Stage: 
Existing/expansion stage
Income Level of Target Population: 
Bottom 20%, 20-60% (lower to lower-middle)

Funding

Primary Source of Funding: 
Government
Additional Source(s) of Funding: 
Membership/subscription fees, Out-of-pocket payments
Funders: 
Atlantic Philanthropies, European Commission

Scale

Personnel Employed: 
10-49
Number of Clients Served: 
Served 335,597 FP client visits and 551,815 SRH client visits (in 2011)
Number of Facilities Operated/Networked: 
130 franchisees in 2011 and 163 in 2012 (33 new)
Replication: 
In 2012, the Provincial Departments of Health decided to replicate the model with an additional 33 health facilities.
Summary: 

The Vietnamese government has implemented an innovative partial franchise model for public reproductive health and family planning (RHFP) services to address problems of under-utilization of services at commune health stations (CHS) and the reliance on hospitals. The model, branded as ‘Tinh Chi Em’ (‘Sisterhood’), applies private sector franchise approaches to improve the performance of public sector service delivery.

Key program components: 

The Tinh Chi Em model provides an example of successful collaboration between provincial level health departments and an international NGO (MSI). This partnership allows local health departments to take ownership of the program and act as franchisors, while utilizing the expertise and resources available through MSI-Vietnam’s extensive network. The program was piloted in 38 commune health stations (10 in Da Nang and 28 in Khanh Hoa) located in rural and semi-urban areas with the aim to improve service quality and client satisfaction, and to increase utilization. As a result, a total of 669 public health workers attended 31 training courses in 2007. An additional 249 staff received refresher training in 2008, and 767 from a further 38 CHSs were trained during the expansion phase to 38 additional CHSs in 2009.

Clients can get SRH/FP services at Commune Health Stations either for free (those covered by health insurance), or at a cost regulated by the Department of Health (e.g. 0.2$ for STI examination, 4-5$ for normal birth delivery).

The program has significantly improved clinic infrastructure, service quality and client satisfaction. Service utilization at franchised public health stations has increased by more than four-fold in the first year, and the number of RHFP consultations increased by five-fold. The GSF model allows lower income segments to access affordable high quality RHFP services at the local level, thereby reducing the burden on provincial and central public hospitals.

Between 2010 and 2011, a new donor (the European Union) has provided funds for the implementation of this model and the piloting of a health voucher within the public sector. In 2012, the Provincial Departments of Health decided to replicate the model with an additional 33 health facilities.

Additional Information

Reported results available.

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