Related Experiment Videos
Practice guidelines. What are internists looking for?
R S Hayward1, M C Wilson, S R Tunis
1Department of Medicine, McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
To determine features of the presentation of clinical practice guidelines that may enhance their use by internists, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to which 1,513 (60%) of 2,513 eligible internists responded. Endorsements by respected colleagues and by major organizations were identified as very important by 72% and 69% of respondents, respectively. Respondents preferred short pamphlets and manuals summarizing a number of guidelines and felt that concise recommendations (86%), synopsis of supporting evidence (85%), and quantification of benefit (77%) were important in guideline presentation. We conclude that guideline developers should gain the endorsement of major organizations and present key aspects in brief, easily assimilated formats.
To determine features of the presentation of clinical practice guidelines that may enhance their use by internists, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to which 1,513 (60%) of 2,513 eligible internists responded. Endorsements by respected colleagues and by major organizations were identified as very important by 72% and 69% of respondents, respectively. Respondents preferred short pamphlets and manuals summarizing a number of guidelines and felt that concise recommendations (86%), synopsis of supporting evidence (85%), and quantification of benefit (77%) were important in guideline presentation. We conclude that guideline developers should gain the endorsement of major organizations and present key aspects in brief, easily assimilated formats.