gms | German Medical Science

G-I-N Conference 2012

Guidelines International Network

22.08 - 25.08.2012, Berlin

Implementing external quality management for guidelines: Assessment and communication of methodological quality – first experiences

Meeting Abstract

  • S. Siegert - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • S. Conrad - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • C. Khan - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • T. Langer - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • B. Meyerrose - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • C. Muche-Borowski - Association of the Scientific Medical Societies, Marburg, Germany
  • J. Schirm - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • S. Schwarz - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • B. Weikert - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • S. Weinbrenner - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • G. Ollenschläger - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany
  • M. Nothacker - Agency for Quality in Medicine, Berlin, Germany

Guidelines International Network. G-I-N Conference 2012. Berlin, 22.-25.08.2012. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2012. DocP170

doi: 10.3205/12gin282, urn:nbn:de:0183-12gin2827

Veröffentlicht: 10. Juli 2012

© 2012 Siegert et al.
Dieser Artikel ist ein Open Access-Artikel und steht unter den Creative Commons Lizenzbedingungen (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.de). Er darf vervielfältigt, verbreitet und öffentlich zugänglich gemacht werden, vorausgesetzt dass Autor und Quelle genannt werden.


Gliederung

Text

Background: National and international data demonstrate that the methodological quality as well as the applicability of guidelines can still be improved. The team of the German Medical eLibrary (Germedlib) aims to contribute to the quality improvement of guidelines.

Context: The Germedlib for physicians and interested lays (http://www.germedlib.de) contains high quality medical information independent from industry. All information is freely accessible, amongst others evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (n=280).

Description: The guidelines included in the Germedlib are assessed by two reviewers with the German Instrument for Methodological Guideline Appraisal DELBI (based on AGREE with 2 additional domains). Discrepancies are solved by consensus. The results are presented along with the guideline for each criterion, supplemented by information on the median quality of all guidelines per domain. Since 2011, the assessments are sent to the guideline authors with the option of providing feedback (n=20). The authors commented on the assessments in almost half of the cases (n=9), resulting in amendments of assessments as they gave additional information. Also authors stated they planned to improve their guidelines, incl. production of patient information.

Lessons: The communication with guideline authors showed that they do not feel that their products are adequately assessed using DELBI criteria only. In 2012, the assessments will be supplemented by methodological and usability aspects not covered by DELBI. The process will be further optimized according to the needs and feedback of guideline authors to strengthen the external guidelines quality management process.