Article type
Abstract
Background: Providing quality healthcare to patients while managing limited resources is a critical challenge globally. Incorporating economic considerations in clinical practice guidelines (CPG) is crucial for promoting cost-conscious healthcare decision-making. However, the incorporation of economic considerations in CPGs is still scarce and inconsistent.
Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify current challenges and potential stimulating factors to the incorporation of economic considerations during CPG development.
Methods: This scoping review was conducted following the JBI methodology and reported via the PRISMA-ScR guidance. A comprehensive search was conducted in various databases (Medline (PubMed & Ovid), NHS EED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, INAHTA) to identify relevant studies published from July 2017 to November 2023. Challenges and potential stimulating factors addressed in the included studies were extracted and categorised via an inductive approach.
Results: A total of 34 articles were included in the review. Five perceived challenges and three potential stimulating factors for guideline developers were identified. Perceived challenges included: 1) navigating the discourse surrounding economic considerations in CPGs, 2) addressing methodological ambiguities, 3) scarcity of (high-quality) economic evidence, 4) transferability of economic evidence, and 5) managing resource constraints. Potential stimulating factors were: 1) fostering acceptance and intent, 2) providing guidance on how to incorporate economic considerations, and 3) enhancing knowledge about what economic considerations to consider.
Conclusions: The findings highlight the complexity of incorporating economic considerations in CPGs. The identified challenges accentuate the need to address the non-consensus about economic considerations in CPGs and increase the availability of high-quality economic evidence. Furthermore, there is a need for guidance on incorporating economic considerations in CPGs, interpreting economic evaluations, and transferability of economic evidence for guideline developers. Therefore, collaboration with relevant stakeholders, e.g. health economists, to develop guidance and training on this endeavour could be beneficial. The identification of these challenges and potential stimulating factors informs CPG developers of potential avenues they could explore to improve the incorporation of economic considerations in CPGs.
Objective: This scoping review aimed to identify current challenges and potential stimulating factors to the incorporation of economic considerations during CPG development.
Methods: This scoping review was conducted following the JBI methodology and reported via the PRISMA-ScR guidance. A comprehensive search was conducted in various databases (Medline (PubMed & Ovid), NHS EED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, INAHTA) to identify relevant studies published from July 2017 to November 2023. Challenges and potential stimulating factors addressed in the included studies were extracted and categorised via an inductive approach.
Results: A total of 34 articles were included in the review. Five perceived challenges and three potential stimulating factors for guideline developers were identified. Perceived challenges included: 1) navigating the discourse surrounding economic considerations in CPGs, 2) addressing methodological ambiguities, 3) scarcity of (high-quality) economic evidence, 4) transferability of economic evidence, and 5) managing resource constraints. Potential stimulating factors were: 1) fostering acceptance and intent, 2) providing guidance on how to incorporate economic considerations, and 3) enhancing knowledge about what economic considerations to consider.
Conclusions: The findings highlight the complexity of incorporating economic considerations in CPGs. The identified challenges accentuate the need to address the non-consensus about economic considerations in CPGs and increase the availability of high-quality economic evidence. Furthermore, there is a need for guidance on incorporating economic considerations in CPGs, interpreting economic evaluations, and transferability of economic evidence for guideline developers. Therefore, collaboration with relevant stakeholders, e.g. health economists, to develop guidance and training on this endeavour could be beneficial. The identification of these challenges and potential stimulating factors informs CPG developers of potential avenues they could explore to improve the incorporation of economic considerations in CPGs.