RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Guidelines 2.0: systematic development of a comprehensive checklist for a successful guideline enterprise
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP E123
OP E142
DO 10.1503/cmaj.131237
VO 186
IS 3
A1 Holger J. Schünemann
A1 Wojtek Wiercioch
A1 Itziar Etxeandia
A1 Maicon Falavigna
A1 Nancy Santesso
A1 Reem Mustafa
A1 Matthew Ventresca
A1 Romina Brignardello-Petersen
A1 Kaja-Triin Laisaar
A1 Sérgio Kowalski
A1 Tejan Baldeh
A1 Yuan Zhang
A1 Ulla Raid
A1 Ignacio Neumann
A1 Susan L. Norris
A1 Judith Thornton
A1 Robin Harbour
A1 Shaun Treweek
A1 Gordon Guyatt
A1 Pablo Alonso-Coello
A1 Marge Reinap
A1 Jan Brožek
A1 Andrew Oxman
A1 Elie A. Akl
YR 2014
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/186/3/E123.abstract
AB Background: Although several tools to evaluate the credibility of health care guidelines exist, guidance on practical steps for developing guidelines is lacking. We systematically compiled a comprehensive checklist of items linked to relevant resources and tools that guideline developers could consider, without the expectation that every guideline would address each item.Methods: We searched data sources, including manuals of international guideline developers, literature on guidelines for guidelines (with a focus on methodology reports from international and national agencies, and professional societies) and recent articles providing systematic guidance. We reviewed these sources in duplicate, extracted items for the checklist using a sensitive approach and developed overarching topics relevant to guidelines. In an iterative process, we reviewed items for duplication and omissions and involved experts in guideline development for revisions and suggestions for items to be added.Results: We developed a checklist with 18 topics and 146 items and a webpage to facilitate its use by guideline developers. The topics and included items cover all stages of the guideline enterprise, from the planning and formulation of guidelines, to their implementation and evaluation. The final checklist includes links to training materials as well as resources with suggested methodology for applying the items.Interpretation: The checklist will serve as a resource for guideline developers. Consideration of items on the checklist will support the development, implementation and evaluation of guidelines. We will use crowdsourcing to revise the checklist and keep it up to date.