BEST Evaluation-Bihar Evaluation of Social Franchising and Telemedicine

Manoj Mohanan

Faculty:

Sponsors:

  • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Collaborators:

  • Sambodhi

Start Date:

End Date:

  • Ongoing

BEST Evaluation-Bihar Evaluation of Social Franchising and Telemedicine

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this project is a cluster-randomized evaluation of the foundation-financed World Health Partners (WHP) social franchising and telemedicine program in Bihar. Its objectives are to provide experimental evidence on how the WHP program influences 1. disease-specific outcomes (per two of the foundation's priorities in Bihar: childhood diarrhea and childhood pneumonia; 2. broader population health measures; and 3. clinician knowledge and quality of medical care. Additionally, we will conduct prospective experimental studies of how households choose doctors (assessing how they understand and value improvements in health care quality) and the effectiveness of financial incentives for improvement in overall health. In doing so, the project will addresses broader issues of financial sustainability, affordability, replicability, and future Government support.

Study cluster mapping identifying 360 eligible study areas in 12 districts completed; House listing (to finalize sampling frame) conducted across 1M households all study clusters; Baseline household survey including 30,780 households conducted June-October 2011; Provider quality assessments including 400 providers conducted August-October 2011; Baseline findings to be presented to the Government of Bihar and the Gates Foundation in March 2012

Last updated on June 3, 2020