Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine has created unprecedented challenges for the country’s health care system. Significant destruction of health care infrastructure has limited access to health services, and massive displacements of people have significantly complicated the process of providing and receiving health services. This context has given rise to an urgent need to provide health services, especially in remote and frontline areas where traditional in-person access to health services is severely limited or impossible.

This report analyzes the experience of introducing telemedicine solutions with the technical assistance of LHSS in Ukraine. It highlights the results, analyzes the experience, and presents best practices, challenges, and lessons learned. Additionally, this report provides recommendations for further utilization of extant and future telemedicine solutions both during martial law and after its repeal. The information presented in the report is intended to be useful for central and local authorities, health facilities, and telemedicine solution providers. It will also be of interest to those who wish to start using telemedicine solutions in the delivery of health services.

Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine has created unprecedented challenges for the country’s health care system. Significant destruction of health care infrastructure has limited access to health services, and massive displacements of people have significantly complicated the process of providing and receiving health services. This context has given rise to an urgent need to provide health services, especially in remote and frontline areas where traditional in-person access to health services is severely limited or impossible.

This report analyzes the experience of introducing telemedicine solutions with the technical assistance of LHSS in Ukraine. It highlights the results, analyzes the experience, and presents best practices, challenges, and lessons learned. Additionally, this report provides recommendations for further utilization of extant and future telemedicine solutions both during martial law and after its repeal. The information presented in the report is intended to be useful for central and local authorities, health facilities, and telemedicine solution providers. It will also be of interest to those who wish to start using telemedicine solutions in the delivery of health services.

At the end of 2022, the Local Health System Sustainability project (LHSS) analyzed the development of telemedicine in Ukraine and found a significant increase in the demand for telemedicine services in the previous few years. This was due to a combination of the COVID-19 epidemic and full-scale war initiated by Russia against Ukraine. LHSS supported the Government in drafting and ultimately approving a national Strategy for the Development of Telemedicine in Ukraine. In this strategy, one of the priority tasks was to define and further develop priority telemedicine services. This includes the development of technical models, algorithms, and business processes for interaction during the provision of medical assistance using telemedicine, as well as expansion of the functionality of the central database of the electronic health record system (EHRS) and medical information systems (MIS) in the field of telemedicine. 

This report evaluates the resources dedicated to telemedicine services in Ukrainian healthcare institutions. The primary goal of the study was to understand the current utilization of telemedicine and to analyze the costs involved, with a detailed focus on the components of these costs. The findings will support efforts to enhance the purchasing mechanisms for the National Health Service of Ukraine, paving the way for further improvements in telemedicine provision.

With increased migration around the world posing unique challenges and opportunities for health systems, efforts to better integrate and include migrants and host communities in national health systems are an integral part of the global health equity agenda. 

This brief introduces implementation research as an effective means to addressing health equity challenges and offers country examples illustrating how the approach can enhance equity in the broader context of health system strengthening.

This Year 5 Quarter 1 Report (Oct-Dec 2023) was prepared for USAID and provides a progress update for all annual work plan activities. 

To explore the use of people-centered metrics in HIV care, a set of six people-centered indicators for HIV care and an indicator survey tool were developed to collect data on the metrics via client interviews. This brief summarizes findings and draws recommendations from an exploratory qualitative study to assess the acceptability, feasibility, integrability, and relevance of both the indicators themselves and the indicator survey tool employed to gather client data.

We are proud to share the LHSS Year 4 Annual Report which highlights the many achievements we celebrated with our country partners this year. 

This report evaluates the resources dedicated to telemedicine services in Ukrainian healthcare institutions. The primary goal of the study was to understand the current utilization of telemedicine and to analyze the costs involved, with a detailed focus on the components of these costs. The findings will support efforts to enhance the purchasing mechanisms for the National Health Service of Ukraine, paving the way for further improvements in telemedicine provision.

We are proud to share the LHSS Year 4 Annual Report which highlights the many achievements we celebrated with our country partners this year. 

With increased migration around the world posing unique challenges and opportunities for health systems, efforts to better integrate and include migrants and host communities in national health systems are an integral part of the global health equity agenda. 

This implementation guide provides details on how project teams and local partners may implement the various approaches contained in the strategy, including tools and templates that may be adapted to country and activity contexts.

This brief describes opportunities to improve financial protection programs using behavior change approaches. The Practice Spotlights Social and Behavior Change series supports USAID’s Vision for Health System Strengthening 2030 by exploring how social and behavior change approaches can contribute to countries’ health system strengthening efforts.

This brief introduces the social determinants of health (SDOH) concept and terminology, and discusses approaches to addressing SDOH. Understanding these root causes of health inequities and their impact on health care access, quality, and equity is crucial to strengthening health systems.