Guidelines are written, but are they followed?

摘要

Clinical practice guidelines are statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care, which are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options. Guidelines are widely published, increasing in number and aim to standardize practice based on best available evidence. They should assist decision-making by clinicians and patients about appropriate healthcare for specific clinical situations and are written for a variety of reasons, including: clarification of areas of confusion or controversy, increasing efficiency and streamlining pathways. However, the real purpose of guidelines is to improve patient care and outcome though in reality it is very difficult to measure this specific effect.