Definitions and descriptions of what constitutes strategic health purchasing and what purchasing approaches are more likely to lead to better health system outcomes have been examined in depth, and many benchmarks are available. SPARC has consolidated these assessment guides and benchmarks to provide an overall set of assessment criteria to apply to governance arrangements and purchasing functions so countries can produce a snapshot of where progress is more advanced or where it may be lacking, and the role of governance arrangements and external factors in enhancing or mitigating purchasing power. This information can be used to prioritize investments and policy actions.
*The brief is yet to be finalized.