title: Evaluating Guidelines: A Review of Key Quality Criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Guidelines of high methodological quality make an essential contribution to the quality assurance of medical knowledge. The detailed evaluation of guideline quality is a complex and time-consuming task. The answers to a few key questions generally suffice for an initial, rapid assessment of the quality and utility of a guideline.
  
  
  METHODS
  We selectively searched the pertinent literature for guideline-assessing instruments and analyzed selected ones with respect to their target group, purpose, orientation, and comprehensiveness. We identified key questions from brief instruments that can be used to assess guideline quality rapidly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A comparison of ten instruments revealed that most were designed to provide a highly detailed assessment of guideline quality. Four recently developed instruments enable a rough and rapid assessment. They focus, in essence, on four key questions: Was the evidence analyzed systematically? Does the evidence support the recommendations? Is the goal of the guideline formulated, and are the authors named? Is the organization of the guideline easy to follow, and are the recommendations clearly signposted?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alongside the comprehensive instruments for assessing guidelines, such as DELBI and AGREE II, rapid-assessment instruments are a convenient tool for gaining a quick impression of the value of a guideline.
authors.affiliation: Institute of General Practice and Evidence-Based Health Services Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria, Institute of General Practice, J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Association of Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften, AWMF), Institute of Medical Knowledge Management, Marburg, Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), Köln.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Semlitsch
authors.forename: Wolfgang A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: Ina B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Siering
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siebenhofer
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist / Q000592:standards*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*