The views of the authors expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States. The Logistics Indicator Assessment Tool (LIAT), a quantitative data collection instrument developed by DELIVER, is used to conduct a facility-based survey to assess the performance of the health commodity logistics system and commodity availability in health facilities. For a detailed description of the indicators, refer to the Indicator Definitions in this manual, following the tool.
Supplementary questions provide additional information on the characteristics of the supply chain being assessed, such as the use of LMIS information, ordering procedures, transportation systems, monitoring frequency, cold chain management, and others. Identify the objectives of the assessment and develop a scope of work based on the program and/or categories of health products to be investigated. Determine the appropriate sample size and develop the sampling frame for the facilities to be visited.
Plan a meeting to be held at the end of the assessment to present preliminary findings to stakeholders in the country. Review the results of the field test and discuss final revisions with the study team members. At this stage it is recommended that you list the products to be assessed in the tables of the tool.
Observe that as many study teams as possible conduct data collection at each level of the system being assessed.
Logistics Indicators Assessment Tool (LIAT)
Interviewer’s Guide
Facility Services and Infrastructure
- In noting proper product arrangement, consider the shelf life of the different products
- Conduct the discarding of damaged or expired products according to the facility’s procedures (this may differ from one facility to another). Specify if procedures exist and note what they are
- It is important to check the storage area for traces of rodents (droppings) or insects harmful to the products
- This refers to either a warehouse secured with a lock or to a cabinet in a clinic with a key
- Fire safety equipment does not have to meet international standards. Consider any item
Our remaining questions will require looking at the products in the warehouse and talking to the person who oversees the store. Record whether the facility had any inventory of the product during the last 6 full months prior to the survey, answer Y for yes or N for no. Record how many times the product was booked during the last 6 full months prior to the survey by stock cards, if available, or to a key informant if not.
Record the total number of days the product was provided during the last 6 full months prior to the survey. Record the amount of product distributed to users or released from the warehouse during the most recent 6 months prior to the survey. Record whether the facility is experiencing a product stockout on the day of the visit, according to physical inventory, answer Y for yes or N for no.
If there are any products that are about to expire (within a week), please mention this in the comments field. Note: For each product that has been out of stock in the last six months (including the day of the visit), please note the reasons (per product). Please note: For each product that has been in stock in the past 6 months (including the day of visit), please note the reasons (per product).
Based on visual inspection of the storage facility, put a check mark in the relevant column; Products are protected from direct sunlight at any time of the day and in all seasons. Products are stored at the correct temperature during all seasons according to the product temperature specifications.
Also examine the condition of products in opened or damaged boxes to see if they are wet or cracked. Also check the condition of products in opened or damaged boxes to see if they are wet, cracked open due to heat/radiation (e.g. for condoms, due to fluorescent lighting) or crushed. Obtain the most recent LMIS report showing the selected products and record the stock on hand from the LMIS report in column 2. Write the amount of usable stock on hand from the stock records as of the time of the selected LMIS report.
Get order forms received by this warehouse during the 3 months before the start month of the current survey (eg, if the current survey runs from September to October, get order forms for the months of June, July and August). In the appropriate space at the top of each table, enter the name of the lower-tier facility that placed an order with this issuing facility during the relevant 3 months.
Ask the person/people you interviewed if they want to ask you any questions
Description of Indicators
The following indicators can be measured using data collected using the Logistics Indicator Assessment Tool (LIAT).
Definition
Accuracy in transferring information to the LMIS reporting form
The first part of the indicator, which uses information on inventory levels on the day of the site visit, provides information on how closely facilities track their inventory. For all products that the program is committed to supply, this indicator measures the percentage difference between the amount ordered in the last order period (or other specified time period) and the amount received for that period. This indicator must be calculated for each product for which an order from a higher level of the logistics system or an order is placed.
If an average order fill rate is desired for all products, the figure should be based on the absolute values of the variances calculated for each product. Inspection of facilities/logistical visits to all facilities or a representative sample of facilities Purposes and problems. Facility inspection/logistical visits to all facilities or a representative sample of facilities. Purpose and problems.
Evaluators can apply the indicator at each level of the logistics system to identify facilities that need improvement. Evaluators should use the first part of the LIAT checklist to assess all storage facilities (including small storage sites at the SDP level). This indicator measures the percentage of facilities (service delivery points, warehouses) that experienced an out-of-stock of a method/brand/product expected to be delivered or issued by that site at any time during a specified period (e.g. e.g. the past 6 or 12 months) ).
Calculate the indicator separately for each product and combine the data to calculate the percentage of plants that were out of stock of each product at any time during the specified period. In some countries/programs, evaluators may use logistics management information systems or control records, depending on the quality of the information available. This indicator measures the availability (or lack) of a product over a period of time and serves as a proxy indicator of a program's ability to meet customer needs with a full range of products and services.
If national policy dictates that different brands of the same product cannot be used interchangeably, evaluators should monitor brands separately. This indicator measures the percentage of facilities with inventory levels greater than zero and below the established maximum level for each full supply method/brand/product of interest at a specific time (eg, day of visit). Evaluators can report the indicator at the facility level or aggregate it for a sample of facilities or for the entire program.
If desired, evaluators can aggregate further to construct additional indicators, such as the percentage of facilities with all products in full supply in sufficient inventory (see related indicators below). Ideally, evaluators will measure inventory status over a period of time (see related indicator below), but most of the time this approach is only possible where the LMIS is automated.
