Introduction. Nowadays osteopathy is an offi cial medical specialty. Many years of experience accumulated by osteopathic physicians in our country have proven its effectiveness. The analysis of research papers of those countries where osteopathy is widely used allows to draw the following conclusion: osteopathy is one of the least dangerous therapeutic methods provided that patients deal with well-trained and certifi ed specialists who work in the frame of possibilities of osteopathy. Due to the intensive development of this specialty in Russia it is necessary to provide scientifi c justifi cation to organizational and methodological approaches aimed at ensuring effective and high-quality osteopathic care to the population.Goal of research - to develop proposals in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of osteopathic care provision for the population, taking into account the current situation in health care.Materials and methods. Authors used the following research methods: historical and medico-organizational analysis, literary data analysis, content analysis as well as methods of descriptive statistics.Results. The research presents characteristics of clinics declaring osteopathic care provision, as well as qualities of osteopathic physicians. It also describes patients seeking osteopathic care, and sources of information they use.Conclusion. Authors propose a number of measures aimed at improving the availability and effectiveness of osteopathic care for patients such as training of doctors, creating of regulatory documents, developing quality criteria for osteopathic care provision and popularization of osteopathy among patients.
