http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2006/01/11/microfranchise-modes-of-healthcare-delivery Comments for "Microfranchise modes of healthcare delivery" en http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2006/01/11/microfranchise-modes-of-healthcare-delivery#comment-439 Thanks for this very clear explanation of these modes. A central aspect seems to be the building of trust to formulate, express and communicate the demand to meet the changing needs and wants of end-users by NGOs that subsidise the operation. This could create problems if the NGOs have other agenda and may limit the spread of microfranchising to their interests. Also it may limit the growth of local businesses. Accordingly I would like the formulating, expressing and communication of demand to be treated as a business opportunity for local entrepreneurs in itself. In the Integrative Improvement™ model the people who do this would form Direct Support Advocate Teams™ and their training could be one of the roles of Integrative Improvement Institutes™ in local areas - another business opportunity. Graham Douglas Integrative Federation™ www.integrative-thinking.com<br class="clear" /> Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:12:28 -0500 _Graham Douglas comment 439 at http://www.nextbillion.net http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2006/01/11/microfranchise-modes-of-healthcare-delivery Along with <a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/user/33">John </a>and <a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/user/592">Cory</a>, I had attended <a href="http://marriottschool.byu.edu/selfreliance/microfranchise/services.cfm">BYU’s Microfranchise Learning Lab</a> in Washington DC this past Friday. Two of the four microfranchises featured, HealthStore Kenya and Scojo, operate in the health industry. Granted, microfranchises are flourishing in many industries (see Kirk Magleby’s catalogue of over 60 microfranchises), but how does the microfranchise business structure enable success in the health industry in particular? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/activitycapsule/1996">Mi Farmacita Nacional</a> pharmacy chain (Mexico), <a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/activitycapsule/1995">Janani </a>health clinics and health product outlets (India), <a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/activitycapsule/1985">ASEMBIS </a>eyecare clinics (Costa Rica), <a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/activitycapsule/1963">Scojo Foundation</a> reading glass vendors (El Salvador, Guatemala, India) and <a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/activitycapsule/2015">HealthStore Kenya</a> clinics and pharmacies, are all fascinating examples of microfranchises able to deliver affordable and high-quality health products and services to poor rural areas, a feat impressive enough without considering the fact that franchisees in all five cases are financially sustainable. The franchisors themselves are non-profit organizations (with the exception of the for-profit pharmacy chain, Mi Farmacita Nacional) that collect fees from their franchisees but are able to subsidize a part of their administration costs with donor funds, decreasing financial strain on their franchisees. Other strategies common among these five microfranchises include:<br class="clear" /><p><a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2006/01/11/microfranchise-modes-of-healthcare-delivery">read more</a></p> http://www.nextbillion.net/blogs/2006/01/11/microfranchise-modes-of-healthcare-delivery#comment Health Successful Models Wed, 11 Jan 2006 23:59:43 -0500 Julia Tran 2127 at http://www.nextbillion.net