Community Health Scorecards

A scorecard is a set of desired outcomes and indicators that form the basis for provision of specified services against outlined timeframes. They are necessary to enable the community to monitor progress and performance of service delivery against set objectives. It is also a clear way for agencies implementing specific programs to understand, point out and establish weaknesses, problems and advocate for possible remedies to counter any negative unanticipated issues.

One of the desirable measures to be included will be the issue on preventable hospitalizations, for instance, a case of Malaria disease in California. It is responsible for majority of hospitalization cases and even deaths. Thus, we can pin indicators and measures like promoting use of nets, living in clear surroundings devoid of bushes, draining stagnated waters and clearing or disinfecting breeding grounds for mosquitoes (Bialek & Moran, 2009).

On the other hand, we can assess the quality of outpatient health care provision against hospitalization cases that should be preventable. Similarly, this can also be pegged on the second score measure for the reduction of infant mortality. For every 1000 births the indicator will pin on a target of anticipated less than ten deaths. This is achievable by improving access and quality of antenatal care provision, discouraging women from home deliveries as well as improvement on hygiene and immunization programs (Peters & World Bank, 2009).

Again we can set a score for achievement of improved general access to quality and affordable healthcare for the people. Under this objective, the participation of government and donor agencies will be vital, especially, for the provision of medical drugs to rural public health facilities. Most rural folks cannot afford the cost of medical care thus government subsidies and eventual low cost medical care will be more desirable.

Another measure in the card would be to realize a reduction in HIV/AIDS infections in youths between 16 to 35 years. This can be indicated first by encouraging voluntary counseling and testing in order to help collect data. Then follow up with peer counseling against pre-marital sexual engagements and multiple partners (Peters & World Bank, 2009).

This measure will go hand in hand with realizing a reduction in substance abuses by the youths. According to National Authority against Child and Drugs abuses in California, high HIV/Aids infection in youth is related to use of injections for heroin abuse where youths share the same syringe. Alcoholism also leads to irresponsible sexual activity thus aggravating the spreads of HIV (Bialek & Moran, 2009).

From the community side, drugs demand reduction approach would be more desirable. At the same time, there should be political will to curb the peddling of narcotics and unlicensed binge dens. All in all community participation and understanding of their health issues will help them monitor performance more effectively.