Do you know the difference between a policy and a procedure?

Apples and Oranges

Policies and procedures seem to be increasingly lumped into one bucket. Hospitals are in search of a system to manage policies and procedures. Committees are formed to oversee and develop policies and procedures. But is there a clear definition of what makes a policy a policy and a procedure a procedure?

I often get a feeling that policies, procedures, guidelines, workflow approval flowcharts, etc. are all lumped into the phrase “policies”. I believe that at least clearly defining the difference between what a policy is and what a procedure is can go a long way.

Add Some Definition

To help me us out I am including an excerpt from Stephen Page’s great book, Establishing a System of Policies and Procedures. I feel he puts it best and we can all benefit from studying and implementing his definition:

“A POLICY is a predetermined course of action established as a guide toward accepted business strategies and objectives” whereas “A PROCEDURE is a method by which a policy can be accomplished; it provides the instructions necessary to carry out a policy statement”.

Each procedure has an action, decision, or repetitive step. Additionally, there is always a starting point (initial conditions) and an ending point (goal).

Taking some time to ponder these definitions and discussing what they mean to your hospital at your next Policy and Procedure committee meeting can pay huge dividends for your hospital.

Saud Juman | President | PolicyMedical

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