ICMR releases Standard Treatment Workflows for common and serious diseases: Union Health Ministry

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), under the Department of Health Research, has recently published Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs). These workflows outline standardized protocols and drug treatments for managing both common and serious diseases encountered by healthcare providers at all levels, the Minister of State Health and Family Welfare Shri Prataprao Jadhav informed Lok Sabha.

The MoS Jadhav stated,''In accordance with Rule 9(iii) of the Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012, every clinical establishment must adhere to the Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) as established and disseminated by the Central Government or the State Government, as applicable, periodically for the purposes of registration and ongoing compliance''. 

The Minister said this in a written statement to the parliament when asked for the details of whether the Government has issued Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) regarding prescriptions issued by doctors, if so, the details thereof.

A series of questions were raised by Parliament member Bhartruhari Mahtab who sought to know from the minister whether as per the study by Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR) nearly 50 percent of Government doctors prescriptions deviate from guidelines and if so, details thereof; and whether the Government is considering to issue revised guidelines in consultation with the doctors. if so, details thereof?

In response to these questions, MoS Health said,  "Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), under the Department of Health Research has recently developed and released the Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs) encompassing standardized protocols and drug treatment prescribed in the management of common and serious diseases encountered by the treating doctors across all levels of healthcare." 

The STWs provide the relevant key indicative actions and treatment for various disease conditions. These have to be utilized at various levels of healthcare starting from primary to tertiary level care and are made available by the Government of India and recommended to be adopted and followed by all healthcare providers across the country uniformly. The STWs in 4 volumes cover a wide range of 157 Medical/surgical diseases/conditions across 28 medical specialties. The STWs have been prepared by national subject experts across the country, added the Minister. 

Further, the minister stated, "The study in reference, titled ‘Evaluation of prescriptions from tertiary care hospitals across India for deviations from treatment guidelines & their potential consequences’, published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research (IJMR), has analysed the outpatient prescriptions by physicians of various specialties in tertiary care, teaching government and private hospitals. It is pertinent to note that the study has some limitations in the form, sample representation, single-time point data collection, potential bias in data collection, lack of longitudinal follow-up, etc. Thus, the study is inadequate to be generalized with respect to interpreted results."

Also read- 50 percent medical prescriptions issued in India deviate from standard guidelines, 10 percent have unacceptable deviations: AIIMS Study