Introduction

The Scorecard Maturity self-assessment is a simple online tool that helps countries:

• assess their scorecard based on a set of 5 Key Success Factors that are vital for scorecard success
• understand where their scorecard is performing well and where it needs further improvement
• access a list of curated recommended improvements tailor to their specific scorecard situation
• learn how other countries have overcome similar challenges to improve their scorecards
• request further help from the African Leaders Malaria Alliance

Countries will be given a maturity score when they have completed the self-assessment tool. This maturity score can be used to benchmark their progress over time. We recommend countries use this self-assessment tool every 6 months to make continuous improvements to their scorecards.

The framework behind the Scorecard Maturity self-assessment tool

The Scorecard Maturity self-assessment tool is based on ALMA’s Scorecard Maturity Framework. The Scorecard Maturity Framework was developed based on best practices from countries’ use of scorecards, recognising that scorecards are at different stages of maturity and institutionalisation.

The Scorecard Maturity Framework was an internal tool initially and helped us tailor our support to countries, while helping them decentralise the scorecard approach to improve healthcare delivery.

The self-assessment tool provides a simple and accessible way for countries to use the Scorecard Maturity Framework and improve their scorecards.

Helping countries institutionalise scorecards

The Scorecard Maturity Framework has helped countries institutionalise their scorecards. Zambia has become a global best practice in its use of their national malaria scorecard to help support their ambitious goal of eliminating malaria by 2023.

The scorecard was first rolled out in 2016. In 2018, Zambia decentralised the scorecard. Thousands of stakeholders were trained on the Scorecard Web Platform.

Today, the use of the national malaria scorecard is institutionalised in Zambia’s malaria accountability mechanisms. The workplan is discussed at several meetings including weekly management meetings at the national and subnational levels. The scorecard is also discussed at several high-level forums such as the Zambia End Malaria Council.

How the tool works

Step 1: Go to the Scorecard Maturity self-assessment tool

Visit the Scorecard Maturity self-assessment webpage on the Scorecard Hub. You can access this webpage in a web browser.

The tool works on computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones with an internet connection.

Step 2: Answer a set of questions

To assess your scorecard, you just need to answer several multiple-choice questions in the Scorecard Maturity self-assessment tool. These questions are divided across 5 key scorecard themes:

• use as a management tool
• decentralisation of the scorecard
• sharing the scorecard with stakeholders
• institutionalisation and political use
• documenting and evaluating the scorecard

Step 3: Receive a maturity score and curated list of recommended improvements

To identify what stage your scorecard is in its development, we provide an overall maturity score and specific maturity scores for the 5 themes.

To help improve your scorecard, we provide a set of curated recommendations to improve your scorecard – based on our years of experience supporting countries with scorecards. They include links to helpful guides, best practices and online courses on the Scorecard Hub.

You can download these improvements as a PDF to share with your colleagues and for offline viewing.

Learn more about how we calculate your Scorecard Maturity self-assessment score.

Maturity levels

There are 5 maturity levels in the Scorecard Maturity Framework. As you improve your scorecard, your country will move up these 5 levels. You can make significant improvements to your scorecard at all levels of the maturity framework.

At every maturity level, we can help countries with making all the suggested recommended improvements. If you have any questions, you can email us on scorecardhub@alma2030.org

Level 1: Needs strengthening

At this level, the scorecard needs strengthening. To improve your scorecard from level 1, you should focus on:

• training staff on how to access and use the scorecards
• indicator revision
• linking the scorecard with DHIS2 to ensure regular data population

Level 2: Initiated

At this level, your scorecard is initiated. To improve your scorecard from level 2, you should focus on starting to decentralise your scorecard to subnational levels by training staff on how to access and use scorecards.

Level 3: Established

At this level, your scorecard is established. To improve your scorecard from level 3, you should focus on:

• continuing your scorecard decentralisation journey
• building capacity with training of trainers (ToT) to support decentralisation

Level 4: Advanced

At this level, your scorecard is advanced. To improve your scorecard from level 4, you should focus on sharing the scorecard to a wide range of stakeholders, from national leaders to members of the community for increased accountability and ownership.

You should consider:

• orienting political leaders and community leaders on the scorecard
• integrating the scorecard into supervision and performance management
• integrating the scorecard into pre-service and in-service training

Level 5: Institutionalised

At this level, your scorecard is institutionalised. To sustain the effective use of the scorecard, you should focus on:

• integrating the scorecard into the terms of reference of ministry of health staff, who are held accountable for performance by supervisors
• appointing a national focal point to guide the development of the country’s scorecards
• orienting community local leaders who may use the scorecard to provide information on quality of health services
• mobilising community action to address underperformance or develop a specific community level scorecard

Get help using the Scorecard Maturity self-assessment tool

If you would like support using the Scorecard Maturity self-assessment tool, please contact the ALMA focal point for your country or email us on scorecardhub@alma2030.org. We will contact you within 3 working days.