The quality of medical care and patient safety directly depend on doctors' compliance with modern standards and treatment protocols. This is a practical tool of evidence-based medicine that helps a doctor make correct clinical decisions and gives a patient confidence in the treatment outcome.
In recent years, the approach to standardization in Ukraine has systematically changed towards European and international practices. New industry standards and treatment protocols have emerged, taking into account the needs of war and the challenges of the time. The focus on providing rehabilitation care has been strengthened.
How to make standards and treatment protocols more applicable and patient-oriented and improve the quality of medical care – this was discussed during a round table with heads of Kyiv's healthcare institutions, which took place last week at the Kyiv City State Administration.
The event was attended by the Director of the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Edem Adamanov, Deputy Director Mykhailo Pasichnyk and Director of the Department of Health Care Standards of the Center Oksana Gulenko.
During the discussion, the parties addressed the following issues:
- development of local clinical protocols at the level of health care institutions – these documents systematize patient routing and provide legal protection for physicians
- methodological support and expert evaluation of sectoral standards by the Center
- active involvement of practicing physicians in the development of medical technological documents in Ukraine
The Center's specialists emphasized that the health care institution and the physician are always at the epicenter of the organization of medical care. To ensure this system works as efficiently as possible, the state is implementing the following steps:
- digitalization of processes is being introduced: focus on convenience, speed and accessibility of treatment protocols in physicians' daily clinical practice;
- assistance is provided in the development of local protocols: medical institutions receive effective tools and methodological assistance to adapt internal protocols to their own technical, financial and staffing capabilities;
- synchronization with the NHSU: sectoral standards are aligned with packages of medical services and the principles of NHSU financing;
- a system of quality indicators has been launched, which allows assessing the effectiveness of the provided medical care;
- resource provision is being updated: tables of material and technical equipment of hospitals and the formulary system of medicinal products.
For its part, the Center is ready to provide all necessary consultative and methodological support to healthcare institutions and healthcare professionals. Such discussions with the medical community will continue to be practiced in the regions.
Only through open professional dialogue and strengthened interinstitutional interaction between the regulator, the authorities and practicing healthcare professionals can the modern European quality of Ukrainian medicine be ensured.
