title: [Do we need guidelines to practise better medicine?].
abstract: Evidence-based guidelines are recommendations for therapy, but they do not restrict therapeutic freedom. The question is discussed whether more binding directives, including sanctions, are needed to protect patients from superfluous or even harmful treatment. Some key elements of guidelines may be transformed into directives after careful examination of the evidence. A quality assurance system and an evidence-based patient information system are required.
authors.affiliation: Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, Siegburg. rainer.hess@g-ba.de
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hess
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*