Primary care, seen through the eyes of the people who use it.
The Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) is a simple survey that asks people about their experience of care at clinics and health centres. It helps health systems understand whether services are doing well in meeting people’s needs, and where improvements are needed.
Originally developed in the United States, the tool has been adapted for use in sub-Saharan Africa through a collaboration of local researchers, health professionals, and community members. The African version of PCAT is used in 11 countries and is available in several languages. It collects information from patients just after they leave a consultation, giving voice to those who use primary care services the most.
What PCAT Focuses On
Getting help when you need it
Seeing a provider who knows you over time
Care that’s complete and joined up across services
Being treated with respect
The results are used by healthcare teams, planners, and policymakers to strengthen primary care and support progress toward universal health coverage.
The Three Workstreams
Tool development
Adapting PCAT for local use by translating it into multiple languages, plus building digital systems for data collection and reporting.
Measurement
Measuring key aspects of primary care through structured patient surveys conducted at public health facilities across 11 sub-Saharan African countries.
Community feedback
Bringing the data back to communities, engaging health managers and providers in interpreting results and designing practical plans to improve care.
Goal
Together, these efforts aim to strengthen primary health care and support progress toward universal health coverage.
Get notified when we launch
No spam — just a heads-up when the full site is ready.