Clinical guideline development

Medical societies and government agencies throughout the world create guidelines to optimize patient care based on the latest evidence. Guidelines reduce variability in practice and identify gaps in the evidence. A preliminary literature search is used to determine if a guideline should be written for a specific topic. A task force is then created, and clinical key questions are developed. Next, a systematic review is performed to characterize the existing evidence. Recommendations are developed based on the evidence, and supporting text is written. The quality of evidence and strength of recommendation for each recommendation are assigned using methods predetermined by the sponsoring organization. These steps are important to minimize bias in guideline creation and thereby enhance credibility.