Clinical practice guidelines as educational tools for obstetrician-gynecologists.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the awareness of and attitudes toward clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) produced by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) among its fellows and to identify factors that would enhance the perceived value of the CPGs.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey on clinical practice guidelines sent to 1,000 practicing fellows of ACOG.


RESULTS
Four hundred sixty-two fellows (46.2%) responded. Virtually all (98%) were aware of ACOG CPGs; 61% stated that an ACOG CPG had changed their practice. Far fewer (6-56%) were aware of CPGs from other organizations; 71.9% were aware of all eight ACOG CPGs that were added in 2000 (range, 83.3-90%). Important factors that would enhance the value of CPGs to the respondents were CPGs that were up to date, had demonstrated improved outcomes, were evidence based and were produced by ACOG. Barriers to use were CPGs without summaries, CPGs not specific to the fellows' settings, CPGs not taking patient cost into account and patient requests for different procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
The widespread awareness by ACOG fellows of CPGs produced by ACOG demonstrates the potential importance of specialty societies in disseminating CPGs. The data suggest that important characteristics of CPGs are being up to date, being evidence based, containing a summary and providing patient education materials.
Farquhar
Cynthia M
CM
Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 409 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
Kofa
Emma
E
Power
Michael L
ML
Zinberg
Stanley
S
Schulkin
Jay
J
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States