Methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines in Germany: results of a systemic assessment of guidelines presented on the Internet
Helou, A.; Perleth, M.; Bitzer, E.M.; Dörning, H.; Schwartz, F.W.
Zeitschrift für Arztliche Fortbildung und Qualitatssicherung 92(6): 421-428
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 1431-7621 PMID: 9757523 Document Number: 491768
Critics claim that most of the German clinical practice guidelines are of poor quality having produced by informal ad hoc methodologies without a rigorous approach. This paper reports on the systematic appraisal of 329 guidelines published online by the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies (AWMF) in Germany. The results of this study suggest that most of the guidelines presented in Internet do not meet internationally recognised criteria for quality. Proposals are offered how to enhance the methodological quality of future guidelines.