gms | German Medical Science

Background: Ukraine is a resource-constrained country. Nowadays, health care system is under reformation. Medical interventions need good evidence base and unification across the country.

Context: For a long period of time expert method was used to develop medical standards and clinical pathways. However, since 2008 an adaptation has been used in Ukraine as a method to develop clinical guidelines. Guideline development groups are multidisciplinary and consist of representatives from different regions and organizations. So such groups are able to estimate existed resources in every region and possibilities of Ukrainian health care system.

Description of best practice: On the base of clinical guidelines medical standards and unified clinical protocols of medical care are developed. Evidence base, used to formulate recommendations in clinical guidelines, is a ground to define and support obligatory and desirable criteria, actions, and interventions. It is used to exclude non-obligatory interventions from existed medical standards and clinical pathways. In 2011 on the base of clinical practice guidelines were developed 4 unified clinical protocols of medical care. On the base of these unified clinical protocols of medical care in each health care setting local protocols of medical care will be developed.

Lessons for guideline developers, adaptors, implementers, and/or users: Such approach helps to evaluate possibilities of Ukrainian health care system; use interventions only with the best evidence base, and save resources. Adaptation is a resource-saving approach that helps to unify health care organization and medical interventions across the country.