Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: As we experience one the greatest explosions in scientific knowledge of our time, guideline developers seek to explore creative and innovative strategies to address the challenges of resource constraints. Developing a short-term Collaborative Knowledge Network (CKN) provides the necessary foundation and serves as a catalyst for the development of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) through intellectual sharing, capacity expansion and quality enhancement.
Objectives: Emphasizing effective knowledge translation and communicating evidence, we present a case study of the CKN between infectious disease experts, the Kaiser Permanente (KP-USA) guideline development team, and the evidence team at BMJ Evidence Centre (BMJEC-UK) during the development of a new sexually transmitted disease (STD) CPG.
Methods: We describe the structure of the KP/BMJEC-CKN; the flow of information between key stakeholders; and the measures set in place to ensure high levels of quality, transparency, and rigor in communicating the requirements of the guideline development team, clinical knowledge of the guideline panel, and management of the large amount of data and information resulting from an elaborate evidence synthesis process.
Results: The partnership provides insight into the benefits and challenges of an international cross-collaboration in evidence synthesis during the development of a HIV/STD CPG. It demonstrates the need for: - agreement on methodological approach including GRADE; - early identification/definition of roles; - on-going collaboration; multi- directional communication; - transparent, rigorous and regular docu- mentation-aligning and setting clear timelines of evidence creation and guideline team work (problem formulation/clinical questions, evidence summaries/systematic reviews); - use of agreed templates; - rapid feedback and query loops; - process sharing/evaluation.
Conclusions: Collaborative Knowledge Networks for guideline development have the potential to increase quality and capacity of guideline developing organizations, to strengthen guideline methodology, to provide transparent and systematic processes while serving as a repository of evidence synthesis for global availability to develop localized clinical decisions.
Objectives: Emphasizing effective knowledge translation and communicating evidence, we present a case study of the CKN between infectious disease experts, the Kaiser Permanente (KP-USA) guideline development team, and the evidence team at BMJ Evidence Centre (BMJEC-UK) during the development of a new sexually transmitted disease (STD) CPG.
Methods: We describe the structure of the KP/BMJEC-CKN; the flow of information between key stakeholders; and the measures set in place to ensure high levels of quality, transparency, and rigor in communicating the requirements of the guideline development team, clinical knowledge of the guideline panel, and management of the large amount of data and information resulting from an elaborate evidence synthesis process.
Results: The partnership provides insight into the benefits and challenges of an international cross-collaboration in evidence synthesis during the development of a HIV/STD CPG. It demonstrates the need for: - agreement on methodological approach including GRADE; - early identification/definition of roles; - on-going collaboration; multi- directional communication; - transparent, rigorous and regular docu- mentation-aligning and setting clear timelines of evidence creation and guideline team work (problem formulation/clinical questions, evidence summaries/systematic reviews); - use of agreed templates; - rapid feedback and query loops; - process sharing/evaluation.
Conclusions: Collaborative Knowledge Networks for guideline development have the potential to increase quality and capacity of guideline developing organizations, to strengthen guideline methodology, to provide transparent and systematic processes while serving as a repository of evidence synthesis for global availability to develop localized clinical decisions.