Developing Quality Clinical Practice Guidelines

Abstract

Technological advances have increased our capacity to access information and advance knowledge. In healthcare this has created the imperative to base practice on scientific evidence rather than opinion. Evidence-based guidelines can provide a link between evidence and practice by translating research findings into actionable recommendations. Therefore, the quality of guidelines is important, as they are used to inform practices that have an impact on health outcomes.

The process of developing infection control guidelines has traditionally relied on consensus among experts and literature reviews, rather than a systematic approach to locating, appraising and applying the available evidence. There is increasing expectation on the part of consumers, clinicians, governments and other stakeholders that recommended practices should be explicitly linked to the best available evidence and developed according to acceptable methodological standards. While there is room to improve the way in which infection control guidelines are developed, the skills, time and financial resources needed to undertake the development of evidence-based guidelines are substantial and often underestimated.

This article is based on the guideline development literature and on the personal experiences of the author, who has been involved in the development of consensus-based and evidence-based guidelines. It provides an overview of the purpose of clinical practice guidelines, methods of guideline development, implementation and revision strategies and areas to consider when developing infection control guidelines in the future.