Required knowledge for guideline panel members to develop healthcare related testing recommendations: a developmental...

Area of Science:

• Medical Guidelines
• Health Technology Assessment
• Clinical Decision Making

Background:

• Developing healthcare testing recommendations requires specific expertise from guideline panel members.
• Current knowledge requirements for panel members are not well-defined.
• Ensuring high-quality recommendations necessitates a clear understanding of essential knowledge domains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the minimum knowledge components essential for guideline panel members.
• To establish a foundational understanding for developing recommendations on healthcare-related testing.
• To identify key knowledge areas for both healthcare professionals and consumers on guideline panels.

Main Methods:

• A developmental study employing a multistaged approach.
• Literature review to derive initial knowledge components.
• Semistructured interviews with 9 experts to refine and validate knowledge components.

Main Results:

• A key knowledge component is understanding the test-management pathway and using results for intervention decisions.
• A final list of 26 knowledge items was developed, covering health questions, test pathways, populations, tests, results, interpretation, management, and outcomes.
• The required knowledge level for each item was defined.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive list of knowledge components for guideline panels developing healthcare testing recommendations has been established.
• This list can inform the design of targeted training programs for guideline panel members.
• The findings aim to improve the quality and reliability of recommendations regarding healthcare tests and testing strategies.