Importance of SOP in Urban Primary Health and Wellness Centre (Assam)

Problem Statement

There were no SOPs for Urban PHCs till so far. SOPs are very important for a health worker. It is a step by step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with regulations. It is a guide for all.

Programme Description

Strategy adopted to develop SOPs for the UPHCs.

A committee comprising of State Quality Assurance Cell and State NUHM cell was entrusted to develop the SOPs .The SOPs were accordingly developed and disseminated. While developing the SOPs, the following points were prioritized so that it is explicit:

Objective of SOPs

The objective of SOPs is to improve efficiency & quality of the health worker for doing his/her activities/responsibilities by laying out a set of Standard instruction for any regular work.

Process of Writing SOPs

Basic Steps to be followed while preparing SOPs:

• Introduction of the title or activity.
• About the goals and objectives of particular activity (SOP).
• Committee details/responsible persons those who are to follow the SOP.
• Responsibility/ Expectation from the committee or a person.
• Expected outcomes and analysis of the outcomes.

SOP dissemination

These SOPs were then circulated through the District Urban Health Coordinator (DUHCs) to all the NUHM covered districts of Assam and thereby UPHCs.It was also ensured that a monitoring mechanism was put in place to monitor the implementation of the SOPs.

Expected and Actual Outcomes

SOPs will facilitate the health workers to remember their routine work to ensure continuity in the absence of any worker:

• It will also ensure quality standards of all services provided in the UPHC.
• It will improve patient satisfaction.

Scalability

It will be scaled up to all the 14 NUHM covered districts of Assam covering all the Urban Primary HWCs.

Source : We Care Coffee Table Book - Good, Replicable and Innovative Practices 2019