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Panelists' views of 68 NIH consensus conference
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care
|January 5, 2002
Summary
NIH consensus panels generally view the consensus process positively, with recent changes perceived favorably. Early conferences received more negative feedback than later ones, indicating evolving perceptions over time.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Medical Decision Making
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Program aims to provide objective assessments of biomedical technology and health care practices.
- Evaluating the effectiveness and perception of the NIH consensus process is crucial for its continuous improvement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze response patterns and trends in the views of 68 successive NIH consensus panels regarding the NIH consensus process.
- To identify shifts in panel perceptions over time and correlate them with program changes.
Main Methods:
- A comparative analysis of survey responses from 68 NIH consensus panels.
- Panel responses were benchmarked against an "average" panel's responses, calculated by the mean response to each survey question across all panels.
Main Results:
- Panelists consistently demonstrated generally positive views of the NIH consensus process.
- A notable variation in perceptions was observed, with some conferences rated highly positively and others negatively.
- Conferences held earlier in the program's history tended to receive more negative evaluations compared to later ones.
Conclusions:
- Disparate perceptions of the consensus process were observed among panels.
- These differing views are interpreted as a reflection of positive panel reception to recent modifications within the NIH Consensus Development Program.