How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box

Abstract—Resource tracking exercises produce data that can be used to inform decisions about health policy issues such as mobilizing resources, pooling resources to minimize risk, and allocating resources for health. However, the factors that help countries evolve from merely producing resource trac...

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Main Authors: Karishmah Bhuwanee, Heather Cogswell, Tesfaye Ashagari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2018-04-01
Series:Health Systems & Reform
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2018.1440345
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author Karishmah Bhuwanee
Heather Cogswell
Tesfaye Ashagari
author_facet Karishmah Bhuwanee
Heather Cogswell
Tesfaye Ashagari
author_sort Karishmah Bhuwanee
collection DOAJ
description Abstract—Resource tracking exercises produce data that can be used to inform decisions about health policy issues such as mobilizing resources, pooling resources to minimize risk, and allocating resources for health. However, the factors that help countries evolve from merely producing resource tracking data to using it for decision making have been hard to specify. Countries often produce data that remain unused, and key health policy decisions are made without using available data. We develop a framework highlighting the factors that contribute to the use of resource tracking data for more informed policy decisions. Analyzing experience across 16 countries, we identify (1) characteristics of and actions taken by local country resource tracking teams that facilitated data use and (2) circumstances that were outside of teams' control but also influenced data use. We find that (1) clear definition of policy questions, (2) production of high-quality data, and (3) effective dissemination of resource tracking results are observed in countries that have successfully used resource tracking data in making tangible policy changes.
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spelling doaj.art-97998fcc625e41f38e92a5e86dbd60842022-12-22T01:14:54ZengTaylor & Francis GroupHealth Systems & Reform2328-86042328-86202018-04-014214615910.1080/23288604.2018.14403451440345How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black BoxKarishmah Bhuwanee0Heather Cogswell1Tesfaye Ashagari2International Development Division, Abt AssociatesInternational Development Division, Abt AssociatesInternational Development Division, Abt AssociatesAbstract—Resource tracking exercises produce data that can be used to inform decisions about health policy issues such as mobilizing resources, pooling resources to minimize risk, and allocating resources for health. However, the factors that help countries evolve from merely producing resource tracking data to using it for decision making have been hard to specify. Countries often produce data that remain unused, and key health policy decisions are made without using available data. We develop a framework highlighting the factors that contribute to the use of resource tracking data for more informed policy decisions. Analyzing experience across 16 countries, we identify (1) characteristics of and actions taken by local country resource tracking teams that facilitated data use and (2) circumstances that were outside of teams' control but also influenced data use. We find that (1) clear definition of policy questions, (2) production of high-quality data, and (3) effective dissemination of resource tracking results are observed in countries that have successfully used resource tracking data in making tangible policy changes.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2018.1440345data for decision makingevidence-based decision makingpolicy changepolicy reformsresource tracking
spellingShingle Karishmah Bhuwanee
Heather Cogswell
Tesfaye Ashagari
How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box
Health Systems & Reform
data for decision making
evidence-based decision making
policy change
policy reforms
resource tracking
title How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box
title_full How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box
title_fullStr How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box
title_full_unstemmed How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box
title_short How Do Countries Use Resource Tracking Data to Inform Policy Change: Shining Light into the Black Box
title_sort how do countries use resource tracking data to inform policy change shining light into the black box
topic data for decision making
evidence-based decision making
policy change
policy reforms
resource tracking
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23288604.2018.1440345
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