In an effort to standardize healthcare delivery nationwide, the Union Health Ministry has urged all states and Union Territories to implement 157 Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs) created by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). These STWs, which span 28 medical specialties, aim to ensure consistent care across hospitals and promote the rational use of essential drugs and diagnostics.
Union health secretary Apurva Chandra, in a letter to the principal secretaries (health) of all states and Union Territories and the National Medical Commission (NMC), highlighted the importance of adopting these guidelines. He stressed that the rapid advances in medical science require healthcare providers to stay updated with the latest treatment protocols and reference materials.
The health ministry’s directive is seen as a major step towards improving the quality of healthcare services across India by ensuring that medical practices are consistent and evidence-based. To facilitate this, there is a need for a simplified, updated approach in the form of a pager app-based tool to guide treating doctors as they manage patients.
“Recognizing this need, the STW one-pager concise document should be used at various levels of healthcare, from primary to tertiary care, and is provided by the government of India to be adopted and followed by all providers,” Chandra said.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with the National Health Authority (NHA) and the World Health Organization’s India Country Office, developed the STWs for common and serious diseases encountered by physicians at all levels of the healthcare system.
These STWs are crucial for establishing uniform standards of care within the Indian Public Health Care system, Chandra emphasized. “They will aid in effective management and encourage the rational use of essential drugs, diagnostics, and other healthcare services. These guidelines have been prepared by national experts across India, who collectively have extensive patient care experience and have considered the feasibility of the Indian healthcare system,” Chandra stated.
As reported by indiatvnews.com, the STWs are concise, one-page documents with key indicative actions. To date, the ICMR has prepared 157 STWs across 28 specialties. These are available on the ICMR website and as a downloadable mobile app for both Android and iOS platforms (references, weblink & QR codes for the app included), he added.