Policy writing and management is a critical administrative component of any health center. These documents provide an accounting of governance, purpose, implementation expectations, and roles and responsibilities of key functions and processes. We have developed a whitepaper, Why Write Policies & Procedures [PDF] as a guide to help you understand the value of policies and policy management and steps to facilitate effective policy writing. In it, you will find information on the following topics:

• Why documentation is so important: Tips that could keep you out of trouble later
• Who should write policies (qualifications of good policy writers)
• What are the differences between policies and procedures
• When to use handbooks, manuals, flowcharts vs. policies
• How to achieve consistency using standardized policy attributes and format
• How to organize policies (classifying and numbering)
• When policies should be reviewed and/or revised

PolicyAssist™ consultants help health centers with good policy writing and management by applying their expertise in policy writing, health center operations & environment, identifying gaps in policy compliance, applying templates and document formats proven successful in efficient and effective policy and procedure management, and setting in play staff training strategies to ensure appropriate staff receive the necessary training to fully and competently implement health center policies and procedures.