Practice guidelines standardize the quality of care healthcare providers offer patients and should be used as heavily as possible. They are created by experts who work at institutions across the nation (sometimes internationally) and are diligently reviewed before publication. In some cases, especially if you are approaching a rare clinical situation, there might not be enough systematic reviews or published studies to support the creation of practice guidelines.
Additionally, there are many terms thrown around in the context of 'finding practice guidelines' that are sometimes more or less synonymous with the IOM's definition of clinical practice guidelines and that are other times not synonymous with this definition. Other terms we hear in conversation with practice guidelines include standards, consensus, statement, advisory, position paper, bulletin, etc., and they usually differ in purpose and scope.
Browse the table below for more information on these terms, but keep in mind that it is always best to visit the publishing body's site to learn more about what kinds of documents they publish and why. Examples of this include these pages from the American Heart Association, Heart Rhythm Society, and American College of Physicians.
Alternatives | Which are? | Examples |
Practice Standards/Standards of Practice |
They establish standards of care, which describe standards of treatment or standards of professional competency. They can be developed by interdisciplinary groups. |
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Consensus Statement | Usually created by expert panels comprised of professionals (from a society, association, or academy), these documents relay an agreed upon opinion about diagnosis and treatment. They represent expert opinions and sometimes undergo a peer review process. |
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Position Statement/Paper | These documents were created by members of a professional organization and provide recommendations on the best course of action. They represent the majority opinion of organization members and are officially endorsed. | |
Practice/Advisory | They provide rapid, urgent recommendations or opinions in order to effectively administer the best, standardized care to the public as soon as possible. They sometimes undergo a peer review process. |