Article type
Abstract
Background:
Examining the guideline development process from a system-level perspective is crucial, necessitating tailored guidance for each health system’s complexities. Improving the guidelines’ quality will not be possible without adequately understanding the factors influencing their development.
Objectives:
Aligned with emphasizing the power of synergy and collaborative efforts in addressing healthcare complexities, this review aimed to understand the guideline development/adaptation challenges and map out its influencing factors to facilitate the development of a system-level framework for guideline development.
Methods:
We used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and a multiple-step search approach. Initially, we identified relevant key words through a preliminary search in MEDLINE and Embase. Subsequently, we used “Connected Paper” to identify relevant papers based on both co-citation and bibliographic coupling and explored the network of potentially eligible papers (Figure 1). The abstract and full texts of the identified papers were screened and factors were extracted, labeled, and categorized by 2 reviewers independently until reaching saturation.
Results:
Thirty-two of 299 screened references were included, reporting various influencing factors. Among those, limited financial and human resources, inadequate guidance/tools, insufficient stakeholder involvement, lack of transparency, inadequate coordination and connection between developers, and conflict of interest were perceived as major barriers. Other factors were indicated as important facilitators: a multidisciplinary workgroup; a reliable mechanism for regular update; sufficient transparency and accessibility; strong collaborations between experts, stakeholders, and patients; effective communication and coordination among guideline developers; existence of (inter)national guidance; and local champions helping implementation (Figure 2). These findings are being validated in the final phase through a comprehensive search in MEDLINE and CINAHL, conducted in January 2024.
Conclusions:
Developing guidelines is influenced by various factors that can promote or hinder the process. Mapping these factors is the initial yet critical step in facilitating the development of trustworthy guidelines, potentially paving the way for creating a system-level framework to ensure quality of guidelines and sustainable, efficient, and integrated national guideline programs.
Relevance to the public:
By understanding factors influencing guideline development, our research improves the guideline development and the trustworthiness of guidelines, directly impacting patient care and promoting evidence-based practices for improved public health outcomes.
Examining the guideline development process from a system-level perspective is crucial, necessitating tailored guidance for each health system’s complexities. Improving the guidelines’ quality will not be possible without adequately understanding the factors influencing their development.
Objectives:
Aligned with emphasizing the power of synergy and collaborative efforts in addressing healthcare complexities, this review aimed to understand the guideline development/adaptation challenges and map out its influencing factors to facilitate the development of a system-level framework for guideline development.
Methods:
We used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and a multiple-step search approach. Initially, we identified relevant key words through a preliminary search in MEDLINE and Embase. Subsequently, we used “Connected Paper” to identify relevant papers based on both co-citation and bibliographic coupling and explored the network of potentially eligible papers (Figure 1). The abstract and full texts of the identified papers were screened and factors were extracted, labeled, and categorized by 2 reviewers independently until reaching saturation.
Results:
Thirty-two of 299 screened references were included, reporting various influencing factors. Among those, limited financial and human resources, inadequate guidance/tools, insufficient stakeholder involvement, lack of transparency, inadequate coordination and connection between developers, and conflict of interest were perceived as major barriers. Other factors were indicated as important facilitators: a multidisciplinary workgroup; a reliable mechanism for regular update; sufficient transparency and accessibility; strong collaborations between experts, stakeholders, and patients; effective communication and coordination among guideline developers; existence of (inter)national guidance; and local champions helping implementation (Figure 2). These findings are being validated in the final phase through a comprehensive search in MEDLINE and CINAHL, conducted in January 2024.
Conclusions:
Developing guidelines is influenced by various factors that can promote or hinder the process. Mapping these factors is the initial yet critical step in facilitating the development of trustworthy guidelines, potentially paving the way for creating a system-level framework to ensure quality of guidelines and sustainable, efficient, and integrated national guideline programs.
Relevance to the public:
By understanding factors influencing guideline development, our research improves the guideline development and the trustworthiness of guidelines, directly impacting patient care and promoting evidence-based practices for improved public health outcomes.