CITATION: BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Jan 16;24(1):78. doi: 10.1186/s12913-023-10524-5.
Barriers and facilitators in developing patient versions of clinical practice guidelines - qualitative interviews on experiences of international guideline producers.
Meyer N(1), Hauprich J(2), Breuing J(2), Hellbrecht I(2), Wahlen S(2), Könsgen N(2), Bühn S(2), Becker M(2), Blödt S(3), Carl G(4), Follmann M(5), Frenz S(6), Langer T(5), Nothacker M(3), Schaefer C(7), Pieper D(2)(8).
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Several guideline organizations produce patient versions of clinical practice guidelines (PVGs) which translate recommendations into simple language...
METHODS: We conducted 17 semi-structured telephone interviews with international experts working with PVGs from September 2021 through January 2022...
RESULTS:... Aims and target groups of PVGs vary between organizations. Facilitators for developing PVGs are working with a multidisciplinary team, financial resources, consultation processes and a high-quality underlying CPG. Facilitators for disseminating and implementing PVGs are using various strategies. Barriers, on the other hand, are the lack of these factors. All participants mentioned patient involvement as a key aspect in PVG development.
CONCLUSION: The steps in the PVG development process are largely similar across the countries. Focus is placed on the involvement of patients in the development process, although the extent of participation varies. The experts collectively attribute great importance to PVGs overall, but in order to constantly adapt to medical progress and changing conditions, the focus in the future may be more on formats like living guidelines. Although there are different views on the mandatory development of PVGs, there is a consistent call for more transparency regarding the methodology used for PVGs.
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org
