Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2025
A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
DO (under) representation in US guideline development: an investigation of guideline authors from 2021-2023
Alfred B Amendolara1, Steven Salazar2, Tiffany Nguyen3
1578278 Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine , Provo, UT, USA.
Context:
Research and scholarship are core drivers of medicine in the modern era. Evidence-based practice continues to replace expert opinion and long-held practice beliefs. Involvement in the development and writing of these guidelines is critical for Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (DOs) to maintain a seat at the academic table. According to the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), 11 % of practicing physicians in the US are DOs. This number is growing, as nearly 25 % of current medical students attend an osteopathic medical school. Without involvement in guideline development, DOs risk giving up control of their own practice of medicine.
Objectives:
To quantify the contribution of DOs to the body of literature guiding practice, author information was extracted from all US-based guidelines published in the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 listed in the Emergency Care Research Institute (ECRI) Guidelines Trust database.
Methods:
Authors of US-based guidelines listed in the ECRI Trust database from the years 2021-2023 were counted and categorized into one of three groups based on terminal degree: MD holders, DO holders, and Other-degree holders. Authors whose degrees could not be identified were counted as "Unidentifiable." Additional data including sponsoring organization, organization type, and specialty were collected.
Results:
A total of 674 guidelines were published by US organizations in 2021, 2022, and 2023, with 604 reporting author information. A total of 9,376 authors were counted. Of that, 7,253 held an MD (77 %), 110 held a DO (1.2 %), and 1,848 held another terminal degree (19.7 %); meanwhile, 1.66 % of counted authors did not have an identifiable degree. A total of 604 guidelines published by US organizations were identified. Of these, 88 (14.6 %) contained at least one DO author in their author list. Sixty-two unique specialties were identified, along with 130 unique sponsoring organizations. Of those specialties, 28 (44.4 %) had at least one DO author of at least one guideline. Of 130 sponsoring organizations, 44 (33.8 %) developed at least one guideline with at least one DO author. No osteopathic sponsoring organizations were identified.
Conclusions:
Based on these results, we conclude that DOs are underrepresented in the development of guidelines.
More Related Videos
05:04Author Spotlight: Evaluating Clinicians' Adoption of Ultrasound-Guided Vascular Cannulation Through Simulation Training
Published on: August 9, 2024
13:44Project-Based Learning Guidelines for Health Sciences Students: An Analysis with Data Mining and Qualitative Techniques
Published on: December 9, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:30Guidelines for Nursing Documentation I
Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.
01:18Guidelines and Strategies for Safe Computer Charting
Maintain Confidentiality and Security:
01:10Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure
01:19Guidelines For Measuring Vital Signs
Before taking a patient's vital signs, a nurse would consider and assess the patient's comfort level and ensure appropriate equipment is available.
01:11Guidelines for Writing Outcome
Patient outcomes reflect the patient's response to the goal rather than what the nurse aims to achieve. Terminology should be observable and measurable to avoid the reader's interpretation. The desired outcome should be realistic and achievable in the designated care timeframe. Expected outcomes should align with adjunctive therapies. The outcome should enhance care...
01:26Guidelines for Nursing Documentation II
Timely documentation is crucial to ensure continuity of care for patients. Any delays in recording or reporting medical information can result in medical errors and even adverse patient outcomes. From medication administration to diagnostic test results, every detail must be accurately and promptly documented to provide the best possible care for patients.