Methodologies

The Canadian Thoracic Society has revised its entire guideline production, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation process. New initiatives include establishing a uniform and validated guideline production process across diseases, planning implementation activities concurrently with production, ensuring that recommendations are formulated such that measurable outcomes for monitoring guidelines adherence are identifiable and measurement is undertaken.

The Canadian Respiratory Guidelines Committee (CRGC) has developed best practices in the production, and is developing best practices in the production, dissemination, implementation, and evaluation of CPGs. 

Production

The CRGC has developed a comprehensive production manual for the creation of new CPGs.

Dissemination

The CRGC has developed a comprehensive dissemination and implementation (D&I) plan in order to facilitate the uptake of respiratory CPGs into day-to-day practice.  The key components include:

1. publication of a full text guidelines as a supplement to Canadian Respiratory Journal (CRJ),
   
2. an executive summary with CRJ, Canadian Family Physician (CFP) and other clinical journals,
   
3. development and targeted mail out of a Slim Jim, Action Plan, and other dissemination tools, and
4. development of Continuing Medical Education (CME) program tailored top specific needs of the target users.

Implementation

The key components of the implementation plan include:

1. presentation of the respiratory CPGs at the Canadian Respiratory Conference and other conferences,
2. promotion of professional development through Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs tailored top specific needs of the target users, and
3. production and distribution of implementation tools.

Evaluation

A comprehensive evaluation plan will include research evaluation studies with other partners.  The CRGC will develop indicators to measure the degree of uptake of respiratory CPGs, tools and resources in primary care and other areas to be identified.  The CRGC initiatives are articulated within the National Lung Health Framework.  The CRGC will partner with other organizations and will seek new partnerships to advance and effectively evaluate the translation and exchange of Knowledge Translation (KT) initiatives.

Methodology Documents