Article type
Abstract
Background: The concept of living guidelines is increasingly being used to ensure that recommendations are responsive to rapidly emerging evidence. However, living guidelines are resource intensive. Therefore, guideline organizations need to consider reasons to start as well as to stop living guideline recommendations. To our knowledge, there are no examples of how and when to stop living guideline recommendations.
Objective: To provide an overview of experiences and lessons learned of (dis)continuing living guidelines at the Dutch College of General Practitioners.
Methods: We will present two different living guideline processes: the guideline cardiovascular risk management and the COVID-19 guideline.
Results: The guideline on cardiovascular risk management has been a living guideline since 2017 and is still updated every 2 years owing to new evidence that calls for adapting recommendations. The COVID-19 guideline started as a living guideline in 2020 but has become a regular guideline since November 2023. Although evidence continues to emerge, the need to make significant efforts has diminished as the pandemic and its devastating effects have passed. Furthermore, we do not expect changes in the direction and strength of the recommendations. Using these examples, we developed a stepwise approach to consider starting, continuing, and stopping living guideline recommendations.
Conclusions: Continuing living guideline recommendations is not always necessary. Considering the pros and cons of living guidelines will help guideline organizations to efficiently spend their resources.
Objective: To provide an overview of experiences and lessons learned of (dis)continuing living guidelines at the Dutch College of General Practitioners.
Methods: We will present two different living guideline processes: the guideline cardiovascular risk management and the COVID-19 guideline.
Results: The guideline on cardiovascular risk management has been a living guideline since 2017 and is still updated every 2 years owing to new evidence that calls for adapting recommendations. The COVID-19 guideline started as a living guideline in 2020 but has become a regular guideline since November 2023. Although evidence continues to emerge, the need to make significant efforts has diminished as the pandemic and its devastating effects have passed. Furthermore, we do not expect changes in the direction and strength of the recommendations. Using these examples, we developed a stepwise approach to consider starting, continuing, and stopping living guideline recommendations.
Conclusions: Continuing living guideline recommendations is not always necessary. Considering the pros and cons of living guidelines will help guideline organizations to efficiently spend their resources.