Kerala to get standardised treatment guideline
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The treatment modalities being followed for various medical conditions will soon get standardized as the State Health Department plans to come out with a standardized treatment guideline and referral protocol. According to the department authorities, the guideline, as well as the protocol that is expected to get unveiled by April, will come as part of the proposed Comprehensive Health Security Scheme.
“The state is in the process of coming out with a standardized treatment guideline and referral protocol for various medical conditions. With this 35 areas in general medicine and ten most commonly diagnosed cancer types will now have a standardized treatment guideline and referral protocol,” said Rajeev Sadanandan, Health Secretary.
According to the health secretary, with the state moving towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Health Security Scheme protocol based management will have to be made mandatory and a treatment guideline and referral protocol will come as great support for patient management. “For the preparation of the guideline for each medical condition and cancer types, separate core groups have been constituted. These groups upon the preparation of the guideline will send the same to medical colleges and retired professionals for its discussion.
For the final draft, a workshop including external experts will be conducted. Then it will be sent for government approval,” adds Rajeev. Meanwhile, sources with the Health Department said the first such standardized treatment guideline and referral protocol is likely to come for the paediatric medicine as the SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram has one such guideline in force.
When asked about this, Dr A Santhoshkumar, head of Department of Paediatric in Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital said, “The SAT Hospital for some time now has one such protocol. It will become the base for the standardized treatment guideline and referral protocol for paediatric medicine in the state.” He further adds that the standardized treatment guideline will also boost the state’s initiatives in containing antimicrobial resistance.