Protocol for the development of the WHO package of ear and hearing care interventions

This protocol article describes the methodology that guides the development of the package of ear and hearing care interventions (PEHCI), led by the WHO. The PEHCI aims to provide countries and other end-users with information related to evidence-based ear and hearing care (EHC), which can be used to prioritise interventions and plan for the resource requirements and costs to facilitate the implementation of the interventions into national health services packages and policies. The PEHCI can serve as an important resource towards strengthening EHC within health systems, ultimately allowing more people to benefit from EHC interventions.

The development of the PEHCI comprises four phases. The first is to select priority EHC conditions through literature reviews and consultation with experts. The second is to identify evidence-based EHC interventions corresponding to those conditions, by reviewing high-quality clinical practice guidelines and systematic reviews. The third is expert agreement on interventions and their service delivery platforms, and to create descriptions for resource requirements for each intervention. The fourth is peer review. The project will be led by the WHO EHC Programme and will be supported by relevant stakeholders throughout the development process, including experts in EHC research and practice.