Assess
Deep dive approach
The deep dive approach is used where a country has a limited understanding of a supply chain’s strengths and weaknesses and the driving causal factors of performance.
In this section you will learn:
- What the deep dive approach is
- The four key phases for implementing a maturity assessment tool
- Existing models for countries considering a deep dive approach
The deep dive approach at a glance
The deep dive approach is used where a country has a limited understanding of a supply chain’s strengths and weaknesses and the driving causal factors of performance — both functionally and geographically. Capability models and detailed assessment tools are available for diagnostic assessment — they typically measure capability and processes across supply chain functional areas (procurement, warehousing, distribution etc.) and cross-cutting enablers (human resources, financial sustainability, etc.) This approach involves a maturity model that comprehensively reviews a country supply chain strengths and weaknesses.
It provides detailed and comprehensive performance reviews that determine gaps and opportunities for supply chain strengthening. The results can be provided at different levels and/or functions depending on the requirements of the assessment. This type of approach provides the ministry of health with an objective (quantitative and qualitative) review of the strengths and weaknesses of its supply chain and helps to inform decision-making about whether to outsource.
Actions:
Element 1:
Commission a full capability and/or maturity assessment of the supply chain using one of the available and most suitable donor models (referenced in this Outsourcing Toolkit).
Element 2:
This assessment approach may require a financial investment. Onboard ministry of health senior management to motivate for such resources (consultants may be required).
Benefits
Delivers end-to-end and strategic review of country health supply chain across all functions, geographies, facilities. Significant investment in resources and management effort by the ministry of health is required. Provides a comprehensive analysis of performance gaps and opportunities for outsourcing potential.
Timeline
The deep dive approach using the National Supply Chain Assessment 2.0 (described below) can take up to nine months and may require resource support.
Four key phases for implementing a maturity assessment tool
Phase 1: Planning and preparation
- Form cross-functional work team — align with senior management, confirm the scope and budget
- Engage and onboard donors as needed for funding
- Determine assessment sites and data collection period
- Identify central and regional locations (ministry of health, central medical store)
- Source supply records
- Define resource requirements pre-field survey phase (logistics / field managers, data collection teams)
- Build master questionnaire
Timeline: 4 weeks
Phase 2: KPIs defined and surveys conducted
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) determined in line with assessment objectives
- Assessment tools to include KPI data for tracer commodities (stock cards, eLMIS reports, supply and distribution records, temperature excursion data etc.)
- Include actors from different levels of the country supply chain system (planning and data-collection team members
- Field data collection preparation (training activities) including site notifications to inform field sites
- On-site data collection activities conducted (sampling at key levels of public health chain)
Timeline: 6 to 8 weeks
Phase 3: Manage, collate and analyse data
- Management, collation and data cleaning / quality assurance checks performed
- Resolve data collection challenges
- Debrief ministry of health, donors and other stakeholders
- Preliminary and high-level findings for use during debriefs
- Core assessment team debriefs steering committee
- Consolidated supply chain maturity scores for each level of the supply chain and functional area captured
Timeline: 6 to 8 weeks
Phase 4: Report key findings and KPI analysis
- For each functional area: scores and bar charts illustrating the maturity score results for each level of the supply chain
- A table of percentage of ‘basic’ items in place, on average, by level for each functional area
- A ‘heat map’ and ‘bubble chart’ depicted maturity scores by level and functional area with scores converted to relative colours / sizes