AI Article Synopsis

  • A standardized method for developing quality indicators (QIs) based on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) has been established in Germany, addressing the lack of uniformity in the process.
  • The development of this QI Standard involved input from various stakeholders in the German healthcare system through a structured consensus process, utilizing the Delphi method for initial voting and a final conference to agree on recommendations.
  • The resulting QI Standard includes 30 recommendations grouped into six categories, guiding the selection, development, appraisal, adoption, and testing of QIs within CPGs.

Article Abstract

Background: Recommendations of evidence- and formally consensus-based clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) represent a valuable source of quality indicators (QIs). Nevertheless, a standardized methodological procedure for developing QIs in the context of CPGs does not yet exist in Germany for all CPGs. For this reason, a methodological standard for the guideline-based development of QIs (QI Standard) was developed based on a structured consensus process involving multiple key stakeholders.

Methods: The proposed content of the QI Standard was derived from evidence, drawing upon results of reviews and qualitative studies, and considered German manuals for guideline-based QI development of two guideline programs. A multi-perspective consensus panel, broadly representing key stakeholders from the German healthcare system with expertise in CPGs and/or quality management, was nominated to vote on recommendations for guideline-based development of QIs. The iterative, structured consensus process included a two-stage online survey based on the Delphi method ("preliminary voting") and a moderated final stakeholder conference where all those recommendations were definitely included in the QI Standard that received approval of more than 75 % (consensus criterion) of the consensus panel.

Results: Based on the agreed QI Standard, the QI development process starts with a criteria-based selection of "potential" QIs which - in case of adoption - are published in CPGs as "preliminary" QIs and can achieve the status "final" after successful testing. The QI Standard is composed of a total of 30 recommendations, which are allocated to six areas: A) preparatory work steps for the guideline-based recommendation of QIs, B) QI development group and cooperation with the CPG group, C) development of potential QIs, D) critical appraisal of potential QIs, E) formal adoption and publication as well as F) piloting/testing of preliminary QIs and conversion into final QIs.

Discussion: Before the QI Standard can be recommended for implementation in future CPGs, it should have been successfully tested in selected German CPG projects. In addition to methodological requirements for the QI development, it must be ensured that guideline groups have adequate resources for the implementation of the QI Standard.

Conclusion: By using the QI Standard, scientifically sound and healthcare-relevant QIs can be expected.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.zefq.2020.11.008DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

structured consensus
12
guideline-based development
12
qis
11
development
8
standard development
8
quality indicators
8
clinical practice
8
practice guidelines
8
standard
8
development qis
8

Similar Publications

Background: The endangered Kashmir musk deer (Moschus cupreus), native to high-altitude Himalayas, is an ecological significant and endangered ungulate, threatened by habitat loss and poaching for musk pod distributed in western Himalayan ranges of India, Nepal and Afghanistan. Despite its critical conservation status and ecological importance in regulating vegetation dynamics, knowledge gaps persist regarding its population structure and genetic diversity, hindering effective management strategies.

Methods And Results: We aimed to understand the population genetics of Kashmir musk deer in north-western Himalayas using two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions and 11 microsatellite loci.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose Of Review: Addressing diabetes distress (DD), the emotional demands of living with diabetes, is a crucial component of diabetes care. Most individuals with type 2 diabetes and approximately half of adults with type 1 diabetes receive their care in the primary care setting. This review will provide guidance on addressing DD and implementing targeted techniques that can be tailored to primary care patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Currently, there is no agreed-upon data collection tool for comprehensively structured documentation of Iranian traditional medicine (ITM) from the information management perspective. As ITM practice varies significantly from current medicine in diagnosis and treatment approaches, it is not appropriate to use data platforms or information systems developed for current medicine. Consequently, the collected data are non-comparable, reducing the verdicts' generalization.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The effectiveness of Health Services Management curricula relies heavily on practical experiences that reflect the evolving needs of the healthcare sector. This study focuses on revising Field Practicum 4 for undergraduate students to better prepare them for leadership roles in healthcare.

Methods: This qualitative and cross-sectional case study was conducted during the 2022-2023 academic year at Zabol University of Medical Sciences.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A data-driven framework for developing a unified density-modulus relationship for the human lumbar vertebral body.

J Mech Behav Biomed Mater

January 2025

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Center for Multiscale and Translational Mechanobiology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Despite the broad agreement that bone stiffness is heavily dependent on the underlying bone density, there is no consensus on a unified relationship that applies to both cancellous and cortical compartments. Bone from the two compartments is generally assessed separately, and few mechanical test data are available for samples from the transitional regions between them. In this study, we present a data-driven framework integrating experimental testing and numerical modeling of the human lumbar vertebra through an energy balance criterion, to develop a unified density-modulus relationship across the entire vertebral body, without the necessity of differentiation between trabecular and cortical regions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!