Integrating and coordinating efforts in COPD guideline development

American Thoracic Society, New York NY

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Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): [unreadable] [unreadable] Background and Significance: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and presents a significant burden on health care systems. In theory, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines represent the ideal way of supporting prevention and management of chronic disease such as COPD. However, development of high quality clinical practice guidelines is resource and time-intensive. Furthermore, a preliminary review of current clinical practice guidelines for the management of COPD (including the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines) has suggested methodological shortcomings. Thus, there is a need to apply transparent and rigorous methodology to develop, update, and implement evidence-based COPD guidelines. [unreadable] Aims: The specific aims will be completed in two stages. Stage 1: 1) Convene a group of experts (in guideline development and implementation); 2) Devise a template for best practice in the development of COPD guidelines; 3) Develop a template for ensuring effective implementation of guideline recommendations that leverages the unique strengths of different professional societies and organizations; Stage 2: 4) Present the template to relevant professional society and other relevant organization leadership through a workshop and develop a collaboration that will propose an integrated and coordinated approach to COPD guideline development and implementation. Method: A program development committee will coordinate a review of existing COPD guidelines using the validated AGREE instrument for guideline appraisal. An expert group will be surveyed using modified Delphi methodology on what should be the key features of COPD guidelines and how patient involvement and best ways of implementation can be achieved. The expert group will be presented with the findings and a conference workshop including all relevant stakeholders will be convened. Conference participants will provide input regarding implementation products and on how to deal with conflict of interest. Outcomes: 1) Expert review of strengths and weaknesses of existing COPD guidelines; 2) Recommendations for ideal approaches to COPD guideline development and implementation serving as a template for other guideline projects; 3) Methods for the determination of patient values and preferences for different COPD outcomes; 4) Collaboration among professional societies and relevant organizations to improve the validity of COPD guidelines and the effectiveness of their implementation. (End of Abstract) [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]