The initial meeting of the Commission for the Introduction of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in the Montenegrin healthcare system was held on February 10, which, as announced by the Ministry of Health, began the process of establishing a clear and unified normative framework for improving the quality and safety of healthcare.
The commission was formed by the Ministry of Health with the aim of developing and implementing applicable SOPs "that will contribute to greater efficiency in the work of healthcare institutions and improving patient safety."
In his opening remarks, Minister of Health Vojislav Šimun introduced the members of the Commission to the key tasks and expectations regarding its work.
"On that occasion, he emphasized the importance of thorough and responsible consideration of the proposed procedures, along with their harmonization with the applicable legal framework, as well as with the realistic organizational, personnel and technical capacities of the Montenegrin healthcare system," the statement reads.
Šimun emphasized that the Commission will operate continuously, with openness to innovations that are in line with modern medical doctrine.
He particularly pointed out the importance of cooperation with domestic and international experts, emphasizing that the inclusion of external experts represents an important step towards harmonizing the Montenegrin healthcare system with the practices of developed healthcare systems, which will "directly reflect on the quality of healthcare available to citizens."
The President of the Medical Chamber, Žanka Cerović, expressed her satisfaction that the Ministry of Health and the Medical Chamber are acting as partner institutions in the process of introducing standard operating procedures, evaluating this initiative as an extremely important step towards improving the quality and safety of healthcare in Montenegro, the statement reads.
She emphasized that cooperation between the profession and institutions is the foundation of a strong and functional healthcare system.
Dragan Laušević pointed out the need to clearly define key indicators and critical control points within the SOPs, which will serve as measurable indicators of their application in practice.
"Through the formation of this Commission, the Ministry of Health once again confirms its strategic commitment to the systemic improvement of healthcare, through clearly defined procedures, greater efficiency in work and a higher level of patient safety," the ministry said.
This, they said, guarantees patients equal, safe and high-quality healthcare services, regardless of where they are treated or who is on shift at the time. "Such an approach reduces the room for error, facilitates and accelerates decision-making, and increases the level of safety — for both patients and healthcare workers," the statement reads.
The Commission is chaired by the Minister of Health, Vojislav Šimun, while the other members are: State Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Milena Cojić, Director of the Directorate of the Ministry of Health, Kenan Kurtagić, specialist epidemiologist Dragan Laušević, specialist pediatric cardiologist Vesna Miranović, specialist neurosurgery Milena Roganović, specialist radiology Žanka Cerović, specialist family medicine Natalija Popović Petrić, and specialist anesthesiology, resuscitation and intensive care Kenan Erović.
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