Health system financing assessment tools: a systematic review

Evaluating the state of health financing of countries helps to check the efficiency of the health system and the optimal use of the limited resources of their health system. This study was conducted with the aim of reviewing health financing evaluation tools and the functional area of each of them so that more effective and efficient reforms can be applied in the path of achieving universal health coverage.

This study was a systematic review that used Scopus and PubMed databases and World Health Organization and World Bank databases to find tools and articles related to health financing evaluation. Articles and tools published in English have been reviewed without time limit. Data analysis was done by content analysis method.

A total of 35 articles and 9 tools were included in the study. After a complete review, finally, 6 tools (national health accounts, health system assessment approach, health sector situation analysis, organizational assessment to improve and strengthen health financing, health system review, health financing progress matrix) were analyzed. And all of them were examined from 9 dimensions of health financing assessment.

In this study, the evaluation tools of health system financing were identified and their characteristics were stated. Among the health financing evaluation tools during the last few decades, the health financing progress matrix can provide a more complete and comprehensive road map to identify the dimensions and performance of the health system financing area in the path of achieving universal health coverage.