Table 1 Intermediate table of elements identified from the systematic survey, interviews and validation process
GIN-McMaster GDC Topic | Elements identified from the systematic survey [7] | Elements identified from qualitative study interviews [8] | Additional elements identified during the validation process |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Organisation, budget, planning and training | • Shortened timeframe for this work | • Define the amount of time allotted for the RG • Consider resources (time) needed for conducting the RG or standard systematic review • Consider resources (financial) needed for conducting the systematic review • Define the process for when resources (time and financial) are limited | • Have standard operating procedures specific for RGs in place and ready for use • Prepare training material appropriate for rapid training (e.g. online modules readily available for rapid viewing) • Have templates for RG ready for use • Identify peer reviewers early • Plan early for panel meeting • Is there a requirement or value to identify key data needs to support decision? The data needed to reach a decision may frame the project and question. For a chemical or other spill, the hazard or health effects are of great concern, but the first question may be to measure the extent of exposure (which will define some recommendations of the RG) |
2. Priority-setting | • No distinct elements identified for rapid guidelines | • Address whether or not there is a need for an interim/rapid guidance • Define the rationale motivating the rapid as opposed to the standard development (e.g. new evidence about efficacy/cost-effectiveness/safety, emergent/dangerous situations, etc.) | • Identify and assess published guidelines addressing the same topic (might help in prioritising issues not covered by those guidelines) |
3. Guideline group membership | • No distinct elements identified for rapid guidelines | • Consider involving a health economist • Involve representative from the clearance entity to expedite review and approval of final document | • Consider involving content experts with prior experience with guideline development methodology • Consider involving technical experts (systematic reviewers and methodologists) with prior experience with rapid reviews and RG methodologies; involve them early on • Organisation may develop a database of experts by area of expertise |
4. Establishing guideline group process | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • Consider virtual meetings • Use a mix of face-to-face and virtual meetings | • None |
5. Identifying target audience and topic selection | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • None | • Alert the target audience to the upcoming RG to increase engagement in development, review and uptake of the RG |
6. Consumer and stakeholder involvement | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • No elements identified for RGs | • Chemical spill importance to stakeholders |
7. Conflict of interest considerations | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • Exclusion from the guideline development group of participants reporting conflicts of interest | • Consider alleviating conflict of interest management-related restrictions when recruiting participants in a short timeframe is challenging |
8. Question generation | • Consider a limited scope | • Consider a narrow scope | • None |
9. Considering importance of outcomes and interventions, values, preferences and utilities | • Consider reducing the number of outcomes to a few critical ones | • Elicit values and preferences from qualitative literature | • Rely primarily on input of experts and stakeholders |
10. Deciding what evidence to include and searching for evidence | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • Define a systematic review process for when evidence is limited • Address exclusion criteria (e.g. grey literature, non-English language, etc.) • Base RGs on evidence from systematic reviews | • Identify and assess published systematic reviews addressing the same topic (might help in prioritising reviews for questions not covered by those systematic reviews) • Consider conducting rapid scoping reviews in preparation for the rapid review • Consider conducting rapid reviews |
11. Summarising evidence and considering additional information | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • None | • Rely on evidence solicited from experts to collect ‘additional information’ and identify relevant primary studies |
12. Judging quality, strength or certainty of a body of evidence | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • None | • None |
13. Developing recommendations and determining their strength | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • None | • Consider online meeting and pre-voting |
14. Wording of recommendations and of considerations about implementation, feasibility and equity | • No distinct elements identified for RGs | • Finalise wording of recommendations during the panel meeting(s) | • None |
15. Reporting and peer review | • Determine whether an expedited review process can be used for RGs | • Describe the review process, if it differs from PGs • Plan for a shorter review time | • Use pre-drafted templates for the final report, as well as automated reports produced by software like the GDT |
16. Dissemination and implementation | • No specific elements identified for RGs | • Address potential obstacles for implementation | • None |
17. Evaluation and use | • No specific elements identified for RGs | No specific elements identified for RGs | • None |
18. Updating | • Define a date for when the RG will be conducted as a standard PG | • If providing interim guidance, define when the RG or full PG will be finished or conducted | • Emergent or dangerous situations may have a ‘staged release’ of RGs in the following order: (1) first action to protect public health, respond to crisis, spill that is heavily weighted to protect against worst-case scenario; (2) the second action or recommendation based on planned update based on new or additional information may recommend a change in values leading to less conservative recommendations |