International Health Systems Program
The International Health Systems Program (IHSP) is a multidisciplinary team of faculty, scholars, and experts working to improve health systems in to improve health and living standards.
665 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA
About IHSP
Goals and Approach
Many countries are committed to improving the performance of their health systems. They face daunting challenges, including the historical burden of infectious disease and malnutrition, the increasing toll of non-infectious disease and aging populations, rising population expectations for health system performance, and limited resources. The International Health Systems Program (IHSP) has gathered an experienced, multidisciplinary team of scholars and experts to apply innovative approaches to improving health care through research, training, and technical assistance. IHSP is committed to advancing and disseminating knowledge about improving health system performance. We seek to help countries bring this knowledge to bear to achieve better health status, patient and citizen satisfaction, and financial risk protection.
To achieve these goals, IHSP works with many partners around the world. We seek both to meet the specific needs of our collaborators, but also to create transferable learning to improve health systems. We also strive to enhance the skills and capacities of our partners for further leadership. As a university-based group, IHSP is committed to intellectual excellence and exchange based on mutual learning. As an active participant in development projects, we are also dedicated to timely and effective implementation of effective health system change.
Major areas of focus
IHSP’s research contributes to health system improvements worldwide by emphasizing four interrelated areas of focus. A listing of peer-reviewed journal articles, project-related technical analyses and reports, and other material emanating from IHSP member research activities can be found on the publications page. These research areas include:
- Health system financing
- Institutional reforms and capacity building
- Politics and governance
- Health system impact evaluation
Country experience
IHSP faculty and researchers have been involved in projects and training activities in Kenya, Tanzania, Malaysia, Estonia, Nigeria, South Africa, Guatemala, India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Ukraine, Mongolia, Kosovo, Chile, Uganda, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey, Oman, Egypt, Zambia, Colombia, and Poland.
Innovative training programs
IHSP has been a major participant in the design and implementation of the Flagship Course on Health System Reform and Sustainable Financing, which has been given annually with the World Bank Institute and also in regional courses in the Caribbean, Asia, Middle East, Pacific Islands, and country programs in Turkey, Egypt, and South Africa.
IHSP activities also include a series of executive training programs in Boston on policy and management of decentralization, human resources for health, health system, quality, strategic planning, and public/private partnerships. See our section on Training for more details.
International collaboration
Through international collaborations, IHSP is strengthening the research and training capacity of institutions and gaining valuable long-term partners for the continued generation of high quality knowledge on health reform issues.
IHSP has had collaborative relationships with the University of Fort Hare and University of Pretoria in South Africa; Jindal Global University (India); the University of Chile; the Catholic University; and the University of Andrés Bello in Santiago, Chile; the Institute of Public Health at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland; National Health Accounts Networks in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East; the Central and Eastern European Health Reform Network; and the China Network in Training and Research in Health Economics and Financing. We also have strong working relationships with Catalyst Management Services in Bangalore, India; Contech in Lahore, Pakistan; Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) in Manila, Philippines; ALVA, S.A. in Managua, Nicaragua; and Fundacion Plenitude in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Funding sources
IHSP has received significant funding from a series of global and bilateral USAID projects, including the Albertina Sisulu Executive Leadership Program in Health (ASELPH) project in South Africa (with Elma Foundation and Atlantic Philanthropies); ASSIST and TRAction projects with the University Research Corporation; Deliver Project with John Snow Incorporated; and in the past Data for Decision Making Project, Partnerships for Health Reform Project, Poland Health Reform Project, Management and Leadership Project (Nicaragua), LEAD Project (Philippines) and Together for Health Project (Ukraine). The British aid agency, DFID has provided global support for health reform research and support for the Medium Term Strategy and Expenditure Framework for Andhra Pradesh, India. The World Bank has collaborated with IHSP on the Flagship Course on Health Reform and Sustainable Financing. Sweden’s SIDA has supported public private partners.
Please email us for more information at ihsp@hsph.harvard.edu.