ONE NEW STRATEGY BEING EMPLOYED AROUND THE COUNTRY TO IMPROVE THE AVAILABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND QUALITY OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS IS THE INCREASING USE OF MID-LEVEL PRACTITIONERS. CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS, HOWEVER, UTILIZE CARE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE VARYING LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. THIS FACT UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR A SYSTEM DESIGNED TO CONTROL THE QUALITY OF SERVICES DELIVERED. ONE APPROACH WHICH ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM IS THE USE OF PROTOCOLS. THE PROTOCOL IS AN INSTRUMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY DELINEATES THE STEPS TO BE TAKEN BY A NONPHYSICIAN CARE PROVIDER IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A DISEASE OR THE HANDLING OF A COMPLAINT. THEY ARE WRITTEN, SYSTEMATIC MECHANISMS FOR TRIAGE AND TREATMENT THAT REPRESENT STREAMLINED VERSIONS OF SUCCESSFUL CLINICAL ROUTINES OF ACKNOWLEDGED AUTHORITIES. PROTOCOLS ARE SYMPTOM- OR CONDITION-SPECIFIC. TREATMENT PROTOCOLS FUNCTION AS DATA COLLECTION GUIDES, DEFINING SPECIFICALLY WHAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PATIENT IS TO BE OBTAINED. THEY ALSO INDICATE THOSE CLINICAL FINDINGS WHICH ARE QUESTIONABLE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE REFERRAL OR CONSULTATION WITH A PHYSICIAN. LASTLY, TREATMENT PROTOCOLS OFFER PRECISE DIAGNOSTIC RULES. THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THE TRIAGE PROTOCOL IS TO SCREEN HEALTH CARE REQUESTS WHEN STAFF AND FACILITIES ARE LIMITED OR AT PEAK PERIODS OF ATTENDANCE IN TREATMENT FACILITIES. THIS TYPE OF PROTOCOL HAS BEEN USED BY THE MILITARY WITH GREAT SUCCESS. WHILE QUESTIONS REMAIN CONCERNING SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF PROTOCOL-DIRECTED HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING LEGAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED WITH NONPHYSICIANS MAKING DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC DECISIONS, IT IS CLEAR THAT THEY SERVE AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION IN THE CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. PHOTOGRAPHS AND PUBLICATION INFORMATION REGARDING PROTOCOLS ARE PROVIDED IN THE ARTICLE.