Implementation of standards of medical care is not only a regulatory framework, but a tool that determines what kind of care a patient receives in practice.
The updated approach to standardization became the key topic of the round table "Practical issues of standardization of medical care", which was held at the Danylo Halytskyi Lviv National Medical University with the participation of the leadership of the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
The purpose of the meeting was to present new approaches and receive feedback from the medical community regarding their implementation.
At the center of the discussion is the transition to a more practice-oriented model of standardization, which takes into account the real working conditions of healthcare institutions.
In particular, an approach was presented that provides for:
- expanding the role of healthcare institutions in developing their own clinical protocols
- methodological support and expert evaluation of such documents by the Center
- active involvement of practicing doctors in the development of standards alongside researchers
Particular attention was paid to updating the methodology for developing medical technological documents. This concerns the transition from a formal translation of international recommendations to their adaptation taking into account the Ukrainian context.
Among the other key areas discussed were:
- digitalisation of standards, in particular the creation of convenient tools for healthcare professionals (including mobile applications) with access to action algorithms and excerpts from the standards
- alignment of standards with the packages of medical services of the NHSU
- introduction of a system of quality indicators and monitoring of compliance with the standards
- development of a schedule of technical equipment for healthcare institutions
- development of the formulary system
The possibility of moving from a purely nosological approach to more flexible models, in particular symptom-oriented ones, was also discussed.
The participants emphasised that standards should be not only a regulatory instrument but also a practical basis for making clinical decisions and organising medical care.
Following the results of the meeting, the parties agreed to continue the professional discussion in a broader format – with the involvement of the MoH, the NHSU and the professional community. A separate conference dedicated to current issues of standardisation of medical care is planned.
Holding such events contributes to the development of a common approach to the development of the system and the implementation of practical changes in the field of healthcare.
