Clinical practice guidelines represent a set of evidence-based statements that are developed systematically on topics related to clinical care. Their purpose is to support practitioners in making clinical decisions but they also have a role in health policy development. This training package includes content on both developing and adapting clinical practice guidelines. The supplementary materials at the end are for optional further reading.
Key learning objectives include:
understanding the keys steps in developing clinical practice guidelines;
applying critical appraisal criteria to guidelines;
applying a process to adapt guidelines from other countries, regions or settings.
Development of guidelines
The text resource listed below is a key resource that comprehensively outlines the process to developing clinical practice guidelines. The tool and webinar resources are linked and use the same visual to explain the development process in practice.
Supplementary materials
All supplementary materials are optional. The quality appraisal resources refer to quality standards that are often used in the development of guidelines – GRADE and CERQual. The other text resource is an academic paper that presents another model for developing guidelines. The tool resource connects to an online tool that supports the generation of GRADE evidence tables.
Topics |
Source |
Title |
Format |
Duration |
Cost and access |
Quality appraisal |
Cochrane Collaboration |
Text |
3–4 hours |
Free, no login required |
|
GRADE CERQual |
Confidence in the evidence from reviews of qualitative research |
Webpage Tutorial |
4–5 hours |
Free, no login required |
|
Model for developing clinical practice guidelines |
Schünemann et al 2016 |
Text |
1 hour |
Free, no login required |
|
GRADE evidence tables |
GRADEpro - GDT |
Tool |
- |
An upgraded membership is available for a fee. |
|
Implementation of evidence-based practices |
Evidence-based behavioral practice |
Online module |
1.5 hour |
– |
|
Stakeholder dialogue |
Evidence-based behavioral practice |
Online module |
1.5 hour |
– |
|
Shared decision-making |
Evidence-based behavioral practice |
Online module |
1.5 hour |
– |
|
WHO definition of guidelines, guidelines anatomy, characteristics of good guideline recommendation |
McMaster University GRADE Centre |
WHO Guidelines and GRADE: Overview of trustworthy guideline development (Module 1) |
A series of YouTube Videos on WHO Guidelines and GRADE |
30 minutes |
– |
Types of guidelines, how it is done, what the rules are followed |
McMaster University GRADE Centre |
WHO Guidelines and GRADE: Overview of practical issues in WHO guideline development (Module 2) |
A series of YouTube Videos on WHO Guidelines and GRADE |
30 minutes |
– |
Levels and certainty of evidence, what is GRADE? how to communicate certainty and effect sizes |
McMaster University GRADE Centre |
WHO Guidelines and GRADE: GRADE - Assessing the certainty of evidence (Module 3) |
A series of YouTube Videos on WHO Guidelines and GRADE |
30 minutes |
– |
Evidence decision framework, types of evidence decision framework, final recommendation |
McMaster University GRADE Centre |
WHO Guidelines and GRADE: GRADE - From Evidence to Recommendations and Decisions (Module 4) |
A series of YouTube Videos on WHO Guidelines and GRADE |
30 minutes |
– |
Why adapting guidelines, what is guideline adaptation and adoption |
McMaster University GRADE Centre |
WHO Guidelines and GRADE: Guideline Adaptation - GRADE Adolopment Overview (Module 5) |
A series of YouTube Videos on WHO Guidelines and GRADE |
30 minutes |
– |
The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) Instrument evaluates the process of practice guideline development and the quality of reporting. | AGREE Research Trust | AGREE Research Trust | Website | ||
How modeling work informs guidelines and health policy related to cancer control | Guideline International Networks | Using Modeling for Guideline Development | Video | 1.5 hour | Free |
This webinar explores opportunities as well as sharing learning and guidance for cultivating effective and mutually-beneficial collaboration between clinical practice guideline developers and health technology assessment producers. | Guideline International Networks | Exploring the Synergy Between Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and Guideline Communities | Webinar | 1 hour | Free |