6th edition of Standard Treatment Guidelines: A Manual for Medical Therapeutics, 2021 launched

New Delhi: Wolters Kluwer India and the Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD) announced the launch of the 6th Edition of the acclaimed manual Standard Treatment Guidelines: A Manual for Medical Therapeutics, authored by Dr Sangeeta Sharma and Dr GR Sethi.

The book was formally launched by Prof (Dr) Sunil Kumar, Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, in an event organized by DSPRUD at the Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) auditorium.

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Dr Uhjin Kim, Regional Advisor, Essential Drugs & Medicines (EDM) & Health System Development (HSD), World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO) also presided over the book release ceremony among other dignitaries Dr Nutan Mundeja, DGHS, Government of Delhi, Dr. Atul Kochhar, CEO, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH), Dr JN Srivastava, Quality Advisor, National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) and Dr Ram Chander, Director LHMC.

Standard Treatment Guidelines is a ready reckoner clinical support manual that covers more than 330 priority diseases in 11 specialties, focusing on clinical manifestations, therapeutic advances, patient management and patient education. The manual helps busy clinicians make informed, effective patient management decisions at different levels of healthcare, from primary health care to tertiary care health centres.

The manual has been developed with the contribution of large number of experts and reviewers. It provides reader-friendly, up-to-date, and evidence-based expert information at the point of care including stepwise pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological management according to the level of healthcare setting, along with goals of treatment and criteria for assessment of response to therapy, step-up as well as step-down, referral criteria and follow-up.

Addressing the audience, Prof (Dr) Sunil Kumar, Director General of Health Services, said, "Improving quality of care is essential to improve of quality of life for citizens. Evidence-based and updated clinical guidelines play a very important role in helping clinicians make efficient and accurate decisions. I commend the authors and Wolters Kluwer for publishing the latest edition of Standard Treatment Guidelines."

Dr Sangeeta Sharma, Professor & Head, Department of Neuropsychopharmacology at the Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Sciences (IHBAS) and President (Honorary), Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD) said, "Poor quality of care is a bigger barrier to reducing mortality than insufficient access since 60% deaths occur from treatable conditions that are not addressed correctly. In the absence of authentic practice guidelines clinicians may get muddled and steer them towards irrational/inappropriate prescribing. This is where Standard Treatment Guidelines helps because it is a time-tested tool to improve healthcare quality and patient safety that provides clear, evidence-based guidelines in the Indian context."

Ruchi Tushir, Vice President & General Manager for Global Growth Markets, Wolters Kluwer India, said, "At Wolters Kluwer, providing trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions to clinicians, researchers and students is a priority for us. These solutions, whether digital or print, drive effective decision-making and consistent outcomes across the continuum of care.

The 6th Edition of the Standard Treatment Guidelines is a pioneering work which is widely accepted by readers, as reflected by its adoption by several Indian State Governments, practicing clinicians and students. Developing these guidelines, and updating them meticulously and regularly, was an exceptionally challenging task requiring diverse skills ranging from the critical appraisal of scientific evidence to the management of decision making and the presentation of complex information in easily understandable forms. I would like to thank the authors for their commitment and hard work, and the Indian healthcare community for the warm reception."

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