Article type
Abstract
Background:
In 2020, the Australian COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce was established to develop living guidelines and updated weekly or fortnightly. The Taskforce included 34 partner organizations and produced >200 recommendations, updated >100 times. Growing beyond this crisis-driven model, the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration is now undertaking a 5-year project to update and transition Australia’s national Pregnancy Care Guidelines to living guidelines on pregnancy and postnatal care.
Objectives:
To adapt the guideline development model used for COVID-19 to the Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal care (LEAPP) Project.
Methods:
The living guideline model used in COVID-19 was reviewed, and an adapted design proposed. A similar collaboration was established with 22 member organizations representing health professional and community groups. Clinical and governance panels were established along with a Consumer Panel and Policy Advisory Group. In contrast to COVID-19, an evaluation of the existing guidelines was conducted prior to commencement, along with a multifaceted prioritization process including widely distributed prioritization surveys with consumers and health professionals to establish work priorities within the wide clinical scope of pregnancy and postnatal care. Panel meetings were scheduled quarterly, and the evidence methodology adapted to encompass greater availability of existing guidelines and evidence synthesis.
Results:
The LEAPP Project commenced in May 2023. The prioritization surveys identified key areas of importance and uncertainty, including updates to areas of existing guidance and emerging topics. Low-priority areas were identified for which updating was deprioritized. In the first 2 quarterly cycles, >50 recommendations were developed or updated. Additional adaptations to the COVID-19 model were implemented following commencement, including a greater role for the Consumer Panel, a revised process for reaching consensus, and appropriate communication approaches to a living guideline that combines older and updated content.
Conclusions:
The living guideline methodology developed during COVID-19 has been adapted to ongoing development of guidelines in other areas.
This project engages consumers as active participants throughout, and the application of living methods to guideline development enables ongoing consultation. Living guidelines are intended to enable the progressive release and ongoing maintenance of prioritized, up-to-date evidence to inform better care.
In 2020, the Australian COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce was established to develop living guidelines and updated weekly or fortnightly. The Taskforce included 34 partner organizations and produced >200 recommendations, updated >100 times. Growing beyond this crisis-driven model, the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration is now undertaking a 5-year project to update and transition Australia’s national Pregnancy Care Guidelines to living guidelines on pregnancy and postnatal care.
Objectives:
To adapt the guideline development model used for COVID-19 to the Living Evidence for Australian Pregnancy and Postnatal care (LEAPP) Project.
Methods:
The living guideline model used in COVID-19 was reviewed, and an adapted design proposed. A similar collaboration was established with 22 member organizations representing health professional and community groups. Clinical and governance panels were established along with a Consumer Panel and Policy Advisory Group. In contrast to COVID-19, an evaluation of the existing guidelines was conducted prior to commencement, along with a multifaceted prioritization process including widely distributed prioritization surveys with consumers and health professionals to establish work priorities within the wide clinical scope of pregnancy and postnatal care. Panel meetings were scheduled quarterly, and the evidence methodology adapted to encompass greater availability of existing guidelines and evidence synthesis.
Results:
The LEAPP Project commenced in May 2023. The prioritization surveys identified key areas of importance and uncertainty, including updates to areas of existing guidance and emerging topics. Low-priority areas were identified for which updating was deprioritized. In the first 2 quarterly cycles, >50 recommendations were developed or updated. Additional adaptations to the COVID-19 model were implemented following commencement, including a greater role for the Consumer Panel, a revised process for reaching consensus, and appropriate communication approaches to a living guideline that combines older and updated content.
Conclusions:
The living guideline methodology developed during COVID-19 has been adapted to ongoing development of guidelines in other areas.
This project engages consumers as active participants throughout, and the application of living methods to guideline development enables ongoing consultation. Living guidelines are intended to enable the progressive release and ongoing maintenance of prioritized, up-to-date evidence to inform better care.