Improving access to safe, effective, and well-managed medicines starts with strong systems at the facility level. The Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network Health Facility Assessment (HFA) Tool is designed to help health facilities evaluate and strengthen their pharmaceutical services and supply chain systems.
This comprehensive, evidence-based tool goes beyond routine data collection. It provides a practical framework for identifying gaps, improving performance, and ensuring that medicines and health commodities are properly governed, stored, managed, and used.
The EPN Health Facility Assessment Tool is a structured, Excel-based self-assessment framework used by health facilities, Christian Health Associations (CHAs), and program managers to evaluate key aspects of pharmaceutical systems. It serves two main purposes:
By combining facility data with scored indicators, the tool helps users measure compliance with best practices and standards in pharmaceutical care.
Many health facilities face challenges such as medicine stockouts, poor storage conditions, weak governance systems, and inefficient supply chains. The HFA Tool helps address these issues by:
Ultimately, it enables facilities to move from reactive problem-solving to proactive system strengthening.
A key strength of the HFA Tool is its emphasis on objectivity. Each assessment requires Means of Verification (MOV), such as: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Licenses and certifications and Stock records and inventory logs. This ensures that scores are based on verifiable evidence rather than subjective opinions, increasing the reliability and credibility of results.
The HFA Tool is organized into thematic pillars that reflect critical areas of health system performance, including:
These components provide a holistic view of how medicines and health commodities are managed within a facility.
The HFA Tool uses a structured scoring system that evaluates the level of compliance within health facilities and translates the results into an overall performance rating. These ratings classify facilities into different levels, helping them understand their strengths, identify gaps, and prioritize improvement actions to strengthen pharmaceutical systems and enhance service delivery.
The HFA Tool is designed as a roadmap for continuous improvement, helping facilities turn assessment findings into practical action. It supports them in developing corrective measures, strengthening internal systems and processes, tracking progress over time, and informing strategic planning and investment decisions. To ensure meaningful and reliable outcomes, facilities are encouraged to carry out the assessment in a structured, phased manner, carefully reviewing each section and validating all supporting evidence.
The HFA Tool was developed through a collaborative technical process led by the EPN Pharmaceutical Systems Strengthening Regional Technical Working Group (PSS TWG). The working group brought together pharmaceutical systems experts, practitioners, and health system strengthening professionals who contributed their field experience and technical expertise to design, review, and refine the tool. Their combined efforts ensured that the HFA Tool is practical, adaptable, and relevant across diverse health system contexts.
The HFA Tool is available as an Excel-based resource. Users should refer to the instructions sheet included in the tool for guidance on how to complete each section effectively. For technical support, users can contact the EPN Secretariat or their respective Christian Health Association (CHA) focal person.
Strengthening pharmaceutical systems is essential for delivering quality healthcare. The EPN Health Facility Assessment Tool provides health facilities with a structured, evidence-based approach to evaluate performance, address gaps, and improve access to safe and effective medicines.
By adopting the HFA Tool, facilities can build more resilient systems, enhance patient safety, and ensure better health outcomes for the communities they serve.