Quantitative Service Delivery Surveys (QSDSs)

To examine the efficiency of public spending and incentives and various dimensions of service delivery in provider organizations, especially on the frontline.

QSDSs are surveys of service providers. Data are collected both through interviews with managers and staff and from the service provider’s records. In some cases, beneficiaries are also surveyed. Data are then triangulated to allow cross-validation of information. Research questions relate to incentives, provider behavior, cost-efficiency, and quality of service. Key stakeholders, including government agencies, donors and civil society organizations, are involved in the design.

While each QSDS is designed for the country situation, six core elements for all facility questionnaires have been identified:

• Characteristics of the facility: the size, ownership, years of operation, hours of operation, catchment population, competition from other service providers, access to infrastructure, utilities and other services, and range of services provided.
• Inputs: monetary values or quantities.
• Outputs: such as numbers of inpatient and outpatients treated, enrollment rates, and numbers of pupils completing final exams.
• Quality: such as staff behavior and composition, availability of crucial inputs, and provision of certain services, such as laboratory testing.
• Financing: sources of finance, amounts, and type (in-kind versus financial support).
• Institutional mechanisms and accountability: information on supervision visits, management structures, reporting and record-keeping practices, parent or patient involvement, and audits.

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