Clinical Guidelines

Are “statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options”. They have the potential to reduce unwarranted practice variation, enhance translation of research into practice, and improve healthcare quality and safety, if developed and implemented according to international standards. They can be used to provide best practice recommendations for the treatment and care of people by health professionals, to develop standards to assess the clinical practice of individual health professionals and healthcare organizations, to help educate and train health professionals and to help patients make informed decisions. A valid guideline has the potential of influencing care outcomes, but for that it needs to be effectively disseminated and implemented (informing processes of care). Panteli D, Legido-Quigley H, Reichebner C, et al. Clinical Practice Guidelines as a quality strategy. In: Busse R, Klazinga N, Panteli D, et al., editors. Improving healthcare quality in Europe: Characteristics, effectiveness and implementation of different strategies [Internet]. Copenhagen (Denmark): European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies; 2019. (Health Policy Series, No. 53.) 9. Available from: [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549283/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549283/) “Statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care that are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options”. IOM. Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust (Consensus Report). Washington DC: National Academies Press; 2011.