Adopting guideline review criteria as part of a regional project to improve heart failure management in general practice

Abstract

Describes a process of adopting a set of review criteria for use in a regional project to improve heart failure management in general practice. Published guideline review criteria were assessed using a protocol examining indicator relevance, practicality and the clinical evidence on which indicators were based. An expert panel with experience in general practice, cardiology and general internal medicine, ethics, and research methodology was used to evaluate the indicators. Good overall agreement was observed with the review criteria. Areas of disagreement related to poor wording of the criteria, the need to incorporate more up‐to‐date evidence and criteria based on weak evidence. A need exists for greater training of health practitioners about how regional indicators can be used as screening tools for quality improvement. Nationally endorsed sets of regularly updated review criteria for common and important conditions would be helpful in guiding similar quality improvement projects.

Citation

Jeacocke, D., Sprogis, A., Lowe, J. and Heller, R. (2002), "Adopting guideline review criteria as part of a regional project to improve heart failure management in general practice", British Journal of Clinical Governance, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 104-111. https://doi.org/10.1108/14664100210427615